The Next Generation
by Jalen Kun
Summary: "A ninja waits until the dead of night, when the enemy sleeps and drops his guard, when his weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night—that is the moment for a ninja to strike." (SYOC CLOSED)
1. Prologue One

**The Next Generation**

_Prologue One_

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_"The principal goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done."_ — **Jean Piaget**

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**Umino Iruka, Konoha Chūnin/Academy Instructor, 37**

I love being a teacher.

Not only do I pass on information to children like they're my own, but I have the special opportunity to watch kids grow up to be amazing shinobi—with my guidance, of course.

And y'know, it gives you a special sort of satisfaction to see kids that were hopeless back in their academy days, and now they're well-trained, legendary ninja. Haruno Sakura, the once skinny little civilian girl with no real ability in Taijutsu, is now the apprentice to the Fifth Hokage and basically in charge of the hospital.

I can't help but grin whenever I hear of her many successful surgeries. I know that Lady Tsunade's really the one responsible for her ability in Medical Ninjutsu, but I just can't help thinking if I wasn't such a great teacher, she'd have never even gotten that far.

Of course, she was a perfect student, so that helped.

Walking in the Hokage's Tower, I smile and nod my head respectfully at the guards patrolling. It wasn't really like this when Tsunade was Hokage, but when the son of the Fourth Hokage and Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi is the Sixth Hokage...well, ANBU guards are a given.

...I suddenly feel pretty old. How many Hokage have I lived through? Third...Fourth...Fifth...a Sixth now... I guess I should be happy that I've survived being a ninja for this long, but still...

Sooner or later, I'm gonna be an old man and we'll be on the Tenth Hokage. Hopefully that won't happen—because for that to happen, Naruto would have to either be incapacitated or dead. I just can't see him quietly retiring. Yeah. That's not good.

I knock on the wooden door three times. A grumble comes from inside, and I take that as my cue to step in.

Holder of the Kyūbi. The Sixth Hokage. My most prized student. My little brother-figure. The blond man sitting at his desk in front of me is all of these things. He's Uzumaki Naruto and he's the one I'm the proudest of. I still remember him as an innocent twelve-year-old, having tantrums over the surplus of D-rank missions. No-one expected him to make it this far. In fact, most wanted him to die in some convoluted tragic accident.

He wasn't the most liked person in the village, that's for sure.

Even still, he's saved this place from being destroyed more times than I can count. People may still be a bit afraid of him, but he's earned their respect—that's for sure.

I can't help but grin whenever I see him. _That's my boy,_ I think. _I'm the one who passed him. I'm apart of the reason he's where he is right now. _

"Hey, Iruka-sensei," Naruto grumbles tiredly. All the paperwork hasn't been particularly good for him, as he's losing a lot of sleep, but this was his dream and he can't just give up, now can he? Besides, behind his tired look, he really loves being the Hokage of Konohagakure.

I place the papers on his desk, watching him shiver. He thinks it's more paperwork. "I'm technically not your teacher anymore, Hokage-sama," I remind him. "And don't worry, that's not paperwork. It's just the names of the students who passed their Genin Exam. You'll be the one to put them in teams."

He instantly straightens up when he realizes the papers aren't paperwork. I think every Hokage hated paperwork. I don't really know about the Fourth, but I know the Third secretly hated it. His fingers would twitch every time it'd get placed on his desk, and he'd start smoking his pipe to release his irritation. The Fifth hated it, too, but she made it very clear that she hated it. She'd groan and scream and drink and sometimes she'd sneak out to do whatever—all to escape the dreaded paperwork.

I'm glad I didn't want to be Hokage when I was young. Being a teacher has enough paperwork as it is...

"So these are the lucky kids, huh?" Naruto muses, reading over the names and pictures. "Hmm... These two look cute together. They should be on the same team." I twitch.

"Uh, do you know anything about these kids, sir?" I ask, keeping my voice low. Four years ago, I'd be able to scream at him to my heart's content. Now, though, I have to keep my emotions in check.

One time I screamed at him, and he jokingly sent me to the Torture and Interrogation department. It may have been all fun and games to him...but I had to put up with Anko for an hour.

Not the best experience of my life...

He shrugs, eyes still glued to the paper. "Nah, not really. I just have so many responsibilities, y'know? Spying on kids and the dynamics or whatever—I don't really have the time for that."

I twitch again. "So you're just gonna pair them up by...how good they look together?"

"Yep. That can't be so bad, right?" He grins that childish grin of his, and it makes me almost not want to scream at him. Almost.

I sigh, swiftly grabbing the papers from him. He makes a noise of disapprovement, but I ignore it.

"You continue doing whatever it is you do best, okay?" I turn around and walk to the door. "I know these kids, so I'll pair them up accordingly. There's really no need for you to worry yourself, Hokage-sama."

Behind me, I can just feel him grinning. "Alright, alright, Iruka-sensei—but seriously, you're better than me at this." His voice lowers dramatically. "...I don't know if you've heard, but apparently there's a new village bustling up. They call it the New Otogakure..."

I freeze. Otogakure was the village Orochimaru created, and they attacked Konoha quite a few years ago. Ever since Orochimaru was killed, though, the village was destroyed or something. I guess they're recreating it...but why?

"They're getting bigger and bigger, my spy network says, and they've apparently made friends with quite a few smaller villages," Naruto explains. "They're getting powerful, too, and...well, I just got a request from them to enter the upcoming Chūnin Exams."

_That seems like a trap,_ I think, but ask, "Well, are you going to let them?"

"I don't really have a choice," he says, looking to the table with a troubled expression. "As I said, they've made friends with a lot of the smaller villages. If I don't accept them, there's a good chance they won't come, either. That'll have dire consequences, no doubt."

I nod slowly. He's really thinking like how a Hokage should think. Years ago, he'd probably just say no and be done with it...

"...We can't be sure they're bad," I speak up, and he looks up at me with a shaky smile. I think I'm the only one he'd show such weakness to. "Orochimaru's dead. Kabuto's dead. Everyone else directly associated with Orochimaru should also be dead. They have an...Otokage, right? They may be just as nice as you. You can't judge a book by it's cover, Hokage-sama."

"Uh, Otogakure's Kage wants to be called the Kamikage," Naruto responds, silently snickering. I raise a brow. What a pretentious-sounding name... "And you're telling _me_ this stuff, Iruka-sensei? Have you forgotten just what I am?"

Everyone did think he was a demon back then, but now they know he's as nice as can be.

I smile. "Anyway, we can't judge them by their horrible past. It's been over ten years, Hokage-sama; give them a chance. We'll just have our guards working on the double this time, okay?"

"...You're right." He grins again...but then it falters. "But...I just have a bad feeling. So please make the right choices, Iruka-sensei. I don't want anything bad happening to the new Genin."

I nod, my face stern as I reply. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

_I love being a teacher. _

I look down at the list once more.

_But I hate letting my students out into the real world. That's the scary part. _

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**History: Naruto is now 26 years old, so it's ten years after Naruto Shippuden. He became Hokage when he was 22. **

**Tsunade isn't dead; she's retired. **

**Orochimaru, Obito, Kabuto, Madara—all of the super uber bad guys are dead. **

**The Akatsuki are all dead. **

**There was no war, though, meaning that the villages aren't all at peace. **

**Iwagakure (The Hidden Rock Village) still has a grudge against Konohagakure (The Hidden Leaf Village). **

**Kumogakure (The Hidden Cloud Village) aren't exactly allies with Konoha, but they aren't fighting on sight of each other. **

**Kirigakure (The Hidden Mist Village) is completely neutral. **

**Sunagakure (The Hidden Sand Village) is allied with Konoha. **

**Sasuke and Team Taka is nowhere to be found. **

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**Author's Notes: Well, this is my new Naruto story, and I'm super excited about this one! You know what SYOC means? That means you can Submit Your Own Character! **

**I'm looking for 9 Genin, so if a lot of people submit...that means a lot of you might not get accepted. Please, PLEASE don't be mad at me if you don't get accepted. If I get, like, 50 submissions (which I'm sure I won't) then it's obvious that 41 people will have to bite the dust and I'm sorry for that...but that's just how it is. Don't blame me. Make the best and most creative character you can and have fun! I'm going to need more characters later on from other villages and stuff, too, so it's a best bet that you'll get accepted to SOMETHING—whatever that something is.**

**Anyway, I don't need characters from other villages yet, though, so don't try to submit for them. All I need is a Genin—that just graduated—from Konoha. Later on, if I need the other characters, I'll ask for them then. **

**I have rules, though, obviously. I'll be putting them on my profile, so read them carefully before submitting. I'll also be putting the submission form on my profile. I will not accept characters by review. PM me if you're submitting a character. If you have a question, please don't be afraid to ask!**

**Submissions are closed on August 15th! I hope you all enjoy this! I know I sure will! **

**This officially starts "The Next Generation!"**


	2. Prologue Two

**The Next Generation**

_Prologue Two_

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_"If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?"_ — **William Shakespeare**

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**Suzuri Wakana, Kamikage of Otogakure, 49**

Kazuko tilts her head and smiles at me, the small bell in her hair ringing a peaceful tune. This small action fills me with warmth, happiness flooding through my chest, momentarily clouding the hate and resentment.

_Momentarily_. Every time I see the face of my smiling daughter, hear the soft jingle of her bell, I think of Konohagakure. I think of how they stole her from me, laughing at her pain, bathing in Kazuko's blood like monsters.

Wolves in sheep's clothing, _all_ of them. They go by the pretense of being the _nice_ village, the _safe_ village, the _good guys_.

_Was it nice to kill my daughter? Was she really safe there at all? If you're the good guys, does that make Kazuko the bad guy? Does that make my dead little girl bad? _

"I love you, mother," Kazuko says, still smiling her heartwarming smile. But it doesn't make me happy anymore; it just makes me sad, mad, ashamed. Sad that my only child died far ahead of her time. Mad that Konoha took her away from me. Ashamed that I wasn't there to stop them.

My reply is sullen—my loving emotions killed when they ran that blade through Kazuko's chest. "I love you more, darling."

"I love you more than that, mother."

Dread fills my veins, stronger than any physical pain you can ever feel. My pain never stops—the wound in my heart never stops bleeding, the scars never fading. I'm forever hurting, living in torture day-to-day without my Kazuko here by my side.

My daughter was perfect in every way imaginable. Attractive, loving, carefree. Her constant laughs made my life worthwhile. Her grinning face made way for the sun in my otherwise rainy heart. She was my anchor, my motivation, my life. When my husband died, I thought I'd never smile again.

I just wanted to die. I thought life wasn't worth living without the man of my life in it.

But she saved me. My wonderfully amazing dead daughter saved me from going down the wrong path. She saved my life, she taught me how to love again, she gave me hope. Kazuko was an amazing person. She was everything to me.

_So how could she have been the bad guy, Konoha? How could you have killed her? How? How?_

I take a quick look around my office. No-one here. No-one to see my walls crack.

A single tear slides down my cheek. "How did it feel? How did it feel when those Konoha monsters killed you, Kazuko?" I ask my daughter, already knowing the answer. I ask her this almost everyday, and her answer is always the same.

"Horrible," she whispers, the pleasant smile gone, now replaced with a grimace. "It was horrible, mother. I just wanted it to end, but they kept stabbing and slashing and twisting. They never even gave me a chance to fight back. I was powerless—and they tortured me, mother. They tortured me..."

Kazuko doesn't cry anymore. Ever since her death, she hasn't shed a single tear. I'd like to think that she's out of her misery, that she has no reason to cry anymore...but it's hard.

I don't even know if this is the real Kazuko or a hallucination made by my grief-stricken mind.

I don't want to know which one would hurt worse.

"I was so scared, mommy." The throbbing pain in my chest magnifies, forcing more tears to slide out my sockets. She seldom called me _mommy_ when she was alive. Only when she desperately needed my comfort.

Comfort I can't give.

I tried to hug her the first time she appeared to me. As soon as I made contact, she vanished, and I was left feeling more sick and useless than ever before. Kazuko appeared again the next day, right after I decided I'd end my life. Seeing her again, even if it was just a hallucination, brought me unimaginable joy that immediately stopped my suicide attempt.

Because of that day, I never try to touch her again, for fear she'll disappear and never come back. Even in death, she saved my life. Even in death, she's the only reason I'm trudging through these dreary days.

Losing her again would drive me off the deep end.

"Please don't cry, sweetheart. It's over now. Those nasty people will never hurt you again." I try to make my words sound comforting, and maybe it works. I don't know, though, because a knock at the door brings me out of my stupor.

As fast as I can, I grab a tissue from the tissue box, patting my tears with delicate fingers. Wiping would make them noticeable; as Kage of Otogakure, I have to look my utmost best for my people.

I have to look my utmost best for Kazuko's revenge.

Another hesitant knock. "Come in," I call, glancing at the ghostly figure beside me. I put on my best smile—and it must be good because my daughter gives me a thumbs-up, all traces of sorrow completely wiped from her face.

The door opens, and a lone man stands in the opening, dressed in gray and black shinobi gear. His expression is emotionless, so he must not notice the misery my facade covers up.

"Kamikage-sama," he drones. "Your four prisoners are awaiting trial in the chambers. We have acquired sufficient information out of the Genin, but the Jōnin won't budge."

I nod, preventing myself from snorting at my title. _Kamikage_. Like I'm some sort of _god_. No, I _despise_ God for sending my little girl to her death in that evil place of monsters. I only use the name to bring fear into the smaller villages' hearts, and then gain their trust with simple acts of kindness. We'll use them to get to Konoha.

Kazuko came up with that brilliant idea.

The walk to the underground chamber is quick yet dull. The ninja escorting me is nothing but silent, and I'm pretty quiet myself. I have nothing to say to the man; my undivided attention is focused on the Genin Squad my ninja stumbled upon yesterday.

Otogakure chambers are probably the most gruesome place I'll ever see. Blood stains—some old but most new—are on the walls, floors, and even ceiling. There are many crimson-stained weapons littered about, not being bothered to be picked up, and occasionally I'll come across a grotesque limb left forgotten. This chamber is my Torture and Interrogation HQ, so it's in a more horrible state than my other dozen chambers—which holds things from secret scrolls to important documents.

Kazuko silently floats behind us, her face obdurate. I guess the gore doesn't really scare her. _But that's obvious, because she's more than accustomed to gore already_, a bitter voice in the back of my mind says, causing me to bristle.

I'm getting more excited about this trial every second.

"We're here," says the impassive shinobi. He stops walking, and I stop too, feeling my fingers curl in morbid glee. This'll be just what I need. _I'll make them feel every amount of pain you felt, Kazuko. _

I take a step ahead of the man and open the door, masking my features to a vacuous stare. The room is dark with candles aligned on the walls, giving just the amount of light needed to see my four prisoners. The three Genin—two teenage boys and a girl, the usual—are tied up with the thickest, hardest rope Oto can offer. The Jōnin-sensei is on his back, his wrists and arms held down by metal bracelets.

And even if they somehow find a way out—because since Konoha are the _good guys_, they get out of tricky situations and beat the bad guys _all_ the time—I have my strongest guards situated all around them. If they so much as twitch the wrong way, they'll be dead.

"Hello." I give the Konoha ninja a wry smile. "I am the Kage of Otogakure, the Kamikage."

The Jōnin snarls. "Get us **OUT** of here!" He thrashes against the confinements, a futile effort. That's when I notice the scrapes and gashes all over his body, while the three Genin are relatively unharmed, if not a bit shaken. He must've resisted with all his might, while they sung like birds.

"There's no reason for you to struggle, Jōnin-san," I say nonchalantly, as if I'm having a cup of tea and not here right now. "I'm sorry to say, but you're as good as dead. Y'see, 13 years ago, my daughter went to Konoha—and she was killed. Do you have any idea why?"

I ask all of my prisoners this—just in case they say something worthwhile. I already know the truth, though; Kazuko told me everything. It's just fun to see their reactions and to hear their lies.

And it seems like he's about to lie right now. "Your village attacked Konoha 13 years ago. They started violence, and we finished it. Now get us out right now!"

"_I'm_ calling the shots here," I say loudly, feeling choler. They always, _always_ use that lie. Why are the supposed good guys always _lying_ to me?! "Do they teach you that prevarication in school? Every single Konoha-nin I capture says that. It's getting a bit overdone."

The hidden meaning is obviously clear to him by the way he abruptly stops struggling. Even the three Genin seem to understand that they will _not_ be getting out of this chamber alive. My daughter wasn't given that choice, now was she?

Behind me, Kazuko giggles.

"You..." The Jōnin trails off, incredulous. And then his voice hardens. "Where's Akamaru?"

"Who?" I give my guards a confused glance, and the one closest to me answers.

"He had a ninja dog with him when we ambushed, so he's most likely talking about it."

My eyes narrow. "And what happened to it?" I know what ninja dogs can do. It'll sniff it's way all the way here, bringing an angry mob of Konoha-nin with it. That's one thing I do not want happening.

Thankfully, my suspicions are incorrect. "We killed it." He visibly stiffens for a second, before casually trying avoiding my gaze. "Um, did you want it alive, Kamikage-sama?"

A thought appears in my head. First it's just merely a thought...but then the more I think about it, the more perfect it is. I don't care how cruel and torturous it'd be; I just care about getting my revenge. That's all I'm doing. Getting my revenge.

I smile. "Do you still have the corpse?"

_Just like how they did Kazuko. _

Not even a minute later, the dog's rotting cadaver lies on the ground, dead—_just like my daughter, this is their fault._ The female Genin starts to sob, and one of the male Genin is trembling. The other, shorter one just glares, and it probably doesn't help that I'm smiling my all-too-pleased smile.

"A-Aka..." The Jōnin-sensei trails off, gaping at his dead pet, and I can just _see_ the life draining out of his eyes.

"This is what happens when you cross Oto," I mumble, the smile slipping off and being replaced with a cold stare. "If you wrong us, do you think we shan't revenge? You kill our family, well, we'll kill yours—and we'll make sure it **hurts**." I stomp on the white dog's head, causing it to crack and unnaturally go inwards.

"**Akamaru!**" The Jōnin's screaming, thrashing, crying—but it's to no avail. He's not getting any stronger and the metal isn't getting any weaker. "**YOU MONSTERS! I'LL KILL YOU ALL! ALL OF YOU FUCKING MONSTERS WILL BURN!**"

I stare at his enraged face, the tears streaming down his dog-like eyes, the way his body thrashes. Nothing like the oh-so peaceful ninja that Konoha are so proud of. I stare at the tantrum-having Jōnin.

And I laugh. I laugh at how one of them has finally, _finally_ shown their true colors. I laugh so much that I start to tear up and my stomach starts to cramp.

Behind me, Kazuko also laughs. I remember that laugh. She laughed like that right before heading off to Konoha.

"...Shush, Kazuko," I say, feeling the misery and hate gnaw at my bones once again. "You have every right to laugh at these monsters, but don't do it in front of me. It still hurts to see you happy..."

She stops immediately...but I can still hear her snickering a bit. The shinobi around me all look puzzled, but I decide to ignore the unspoken question and walk over to the still screaming Jōnin.

I bend down and smile at him. "You finally understand how it feels, don't you? The feeling of losing everything in such little time. It hurts, I know." _I know because you took away my everything. This is your fault, your fault, your fault!_ "And because I know, because you tortured my poor daughter and didn't spare any feelings towards her, I'm going to make you hurt _more_. I'm going to destroy you from the inside out, boy."

"You—You _lowlife..!_" He growls, still crying. But he's not fighting anymore. Oh no, he lost the will to fight just like I had.

But I'm regaining it. Steadily. Steadily. _All for you, my little sweetheart. _

I deadpan. "I'm going to kill all of your Genin—but I won't kill you. Count yourself lucky." Or rather, he's the unluckiest man in the world. Killing him after what I'm about to do would be mercy. Now he's just going to wallow in depression, because he knows it's his fault for not being strong enough to protect his team.

I know I blame myself everyday.

He protests, obviously, but it all falls on deaf ears. "This is your punishment," I say, turning to the sobbing Genin girl. She looks up at me with teary, pathetic eyes. Why is this monster allowed to live but my daughter cannot? Why? _Why?_

"Don't you dare touch her."

The tone is icy cold, but it doesn't faze me in the slightest. The quiet tremble was almost left unheard, but I heard it. I hear everything. Everything.

I turn to the Genin boy that was glaring just a while ago. He still is, but murderous intent is now leaking out of his body like chakra.

"Don't touch her..! You're _sick_, demented by your daughter's death so much that you think you can see her, right?"

My veins go icy cold at his accusation—his totally true accusation. B-But Kazuko really is floating behind me! I can see her! What does this brat know anyway?!

"Don't tempt me," I growl, flicking my wrist and allowing a kunai to slide into my hands. "Because you gave information about your village, I'm allowing a quick and painless death—something you twerps do not deserve. So shut your mouth before things get ugly."

"How can you blame 13 year olds for your daughter's death? That attack happened—"

"So you _did_ attack her!" I scream, bringing the kunai up. Everything seems to erupt in a dark red light, but I don't care. I don't think. I just want this boy very, very **dead.** "You attacked her! It was _you!_ _It was you!_"

I bring the kunai down, but before it can pierce his head, he flinches and inhales one last breath. The final breath in his 13 years of living—living with the guilt of killing my daughter. He killed her; he killed her; he killed her!

The kunai impales his head. Red gush and gray matter sprays out at me, but I ignore that and glare venomously at the boy's unmoving corpse.

"Tetsuo!" The girl screams in anguish, crying like nothing I've ever seen. "Tetsuo, no..! No..!" The trembling Genin next to her is crying also, but he has the good will to keep his mouth shut. The Jōnin-sensei doesn't do or say anything; he simply stares up at the ceiling, his eyes dull and lifeless. He's completely given up.

Ha! Serves him right! Serves them _all_ right! Konoha is made up of monsters with hero complexes—that's all they are!

And I'll be destroying them all. These four are just appetizers.

"Why did you kill Tetsuo?! He had nothing to do with that, you sick bitch!" The girl screams, tears streaming down her glaring face. If looks could kill, I'd definitely be dead ten times over.

But looks can't kill. This knife in my hand—_this_ can kill.

"Tetsuo was his name, huh?" I muse, feeling a huge weight fall off my shoulder. I always feel like this after taking care of my daughter's murderers, but the dull ache comes back the next day. It always does.

...Wait. _Tetsuo? Wise Hero?!_

"WHAT IS UP WITH KONOHA AND THEIR NEED TO BE THE HEROES?!" I scream, slapping the girl across the face. _Hard_. Even my hand stings afterward. "You disgusting people don't know what the word _hero_ even means! How can heroes kill my daughter? How?! _How?!_"

The girl deflates, sobbing again. "I-I don't... We didn't..."

"Kill her, mother," I hear Kazuko say behind me.

I turn around and nod at her, smiling warmly. "It will be done, my dear."

With a frown, I turn around around shove the already bloodied kunai through the girl's forehead. She doesn't even see it coming. It pierces straight through her brain and ends her pathetic evil life. The girl's body falls to the floor, dead.

...Did Kazuko look like that when she died?

I push the thought out of my mind, turning my gaze to the silent Genin. He doesn't meet my eyes; he just whimpers a bit, still trembling. Most people would have pity for this kid—but I don't. They didn't have pity for my kid. Orochimaru-sama told us that Konoha went rampant on both them and Sunagakure.

And Suna's allies with those monsters. How stupid.

But I'm still a good woman, nonetheless. He'll die, but he won't die brutally. Unlike Konoha, I'm not a monster.

I'm just avenging my dead daughter. I'm the good guy here; they're the bad ones.

"Just stay still," I say, voice cold. I hold up another kunai. "This'll be quick. I'm not the same as you bloodthirsty creatures."

The Genin's mouth opens...but closes soon after. He drops his head, and teardrops fall from his eyes to the floor. He's accepted his fate to die—years above his time, just like my daughter.

For a second, that's who I see. Not the wiry Genin, but my dearest Kazuko. She stares at me with sad, scared eyes...and then she changes back to the crying Konoha Genin.

The boy looks up at me with watery, hopeful eyes. "W-Well..?"

I hesitate; this is honestly the first time I've killed Genin. It's usually Jōnin or the occasional Chūnin. Never this young. _But age doesn't matter_, my mind tells me. _Age didn't matter to them when they took her away. _

He looks down again, and I use that opportunity to shove the kunai through his head. The blood splashes, his body falls, and a small smile graces my lips. All three of them dead. All three of Kazuko's murderers dead.

I turn back to the Jōnin, who's still staring at the ceiling with a faraway look. Why is he not sobbing? I just killed his whole team, even the dog!

"Well?" I bend down to face him, sneering. "Your whole team is dead—including that overgrown mutt of yours. And you know why? Because you're _weak_. Because you couldn't protect them. And you're going to have to live with that for the rest of your life."

Big hot tears come out of his slit-like eyes, but what he says is unexpected.

"They aren't dead. They'll live on, they'll all live on. They aren't the only Konoha Genin in the world." He smiles a sad smile, but I can clearly see the hope shining in his eyes. "Every year there are more and more Genin. And you can't beat them all. Your little revenge plot will fail. It'll fail."

The words hit me hard. Even through all that, he still can find the strength to rebel. He can still find the strength to fight back. And then he's telling me that there's more Genin? Like I'm _afraid_ of them? I'm not..

I grab another kunai, my last kunai, and stab him straight in the heart. I was going to let him live, let him suffer like how I'm suffering—but it's not working, apparently. Konoha is much too evil to suffer...

His body tenses and pulsates...and with one final gulp of air, he dies.

A whole squad, all killed by yours truly.

I take a step back, surveying my work with a critical eye. All three Genin lying in a pool of blood, and the sensei with a knife in his chest. Dead. All of them. More people to add onto my already growing list. I shouldn't feel anything, but I do.

I feel resentment—bitter, bitter resentment that I can't even make them feel the pain I've felt. Because they're too evil. Because they know more hate than love. Because they're monsters—monsters who took Kazuko away, forever.

When I see their bodies, I don't feel victorious. I feel patronized. I feel like...they were the ones who won.

And it pisses me off.

"There's still a way you can win, mother," Kazuko says, as if reading my thoughts. She smiles the cheeriest smile, her dark eyes flashing. "The thing about the Genin. It's obvious, isn't it?"

_Obvious?_ And then it hits me. The thought gives me an almost renewed sense of things, of everything. I haven't failed my daughter yet. I can still get my revenge. I can still burn Konoha to the ground.

...And I even know how to make it hurt.

One of my shinobi comes walking up, holding out a helping hand. "Are you okay, Kamikage-sama?"

"I'm fine," I say dismissively, staring at my daughter. She's slowly fading away, her sweet face unnaturally serious.

"You know what to do, mother," she says, and unconsciously, I reach out a hand to...to stop her! I can't have her leaving yet! I-I need her! "I know you'll do whatever it takes to make them hurt. And when you do, I'll be back. I promise. I love you, mother..."

The response is reflexive. "I love you more, sweetheart."

The serious look is quickly replaced with her precious smiling face, the bell in her hair ringing...and then she fades away, leaving me staring at a dark wall.

...She's...gone. My daughter...left me again. No... My Kazuko...

Silent tears fall from my eyes, and all of my shinobi tense, awkwardly trying to look away from their leader's apparent craziness. But I'm not crazy. Kazuko, even after death, was always with me. She always looked after me, made me smile, made me feel alive.

And now she's gone—_again_.

_But you can bring her back_, the soothing voice in my head tells me. _You heard her. You know what to do. So do it._

...That's right. I know what to do. I can bring her back to me—even if I can't physically touch her, she'll always be with me mentally.

And that's all I want. I'm not a bad guy. _But you can be_, the bitter voice says, and a cold glare instantly forms on my face.

"I want them _dead_," I whisper furiously, my fists clenching. My soldiers all look at me questioningly, the silent desire to clarify easily apparent. "The Genin—I want them dead. I want every Konoha Genin dead."

_You want a bad guy, Konoha? Well fine! I'll give you a bad guy._

"Every single one of them..."

**Author's Notes: Well, this chapter was a LOT longer than I intended it to be, but that's fine, right? You guys love long chapters, right? Anyway, I sorta wanted to have a villain that you can all relate to—not a stupid villain that simply finds pleasure in killing for no reason at all. Wakana was basically lied to by Orochimaru that Konoha attacked THEM, not the other way around. So she thinks that they murdered her child in cold blood when they were most likely just defending themselves. Therefore she has a personal vendetta against Konoha—which is completely understandable. You'd hate anyone that you thought murdered your loved one, right? So there, she actually has a reason to her dislike of Konoha and her teensy-bit of insanity.**

**And yep. It was probably obvious, but for those of you who...somehow didn't understand, that was Kiba as the Jōnin sensei. The second chapter and he's already dead, wow I've gotten gutsy over the years, right? Ehehe, you probably don't think it was necessary that I killed a main character (and bias, considering I hate Kiba), but I wanted to show the full extent of Wakana and the only way to do that was kill a whole Genin squad. But you wouldn't have really feared her then, right? You'd be like "oh no she killed a random unimportant Genin squad the cruelty." So to show you that she's not one to be taken lightly and that I'm not one to be taken lightly, she killed a main character: Kiba (and poor Akamaru..).**

**It should also be said now that nobody is safe. This is the Shinobi World, and therefore children and adults die painful deaths every day. I know Naruto and his generation made it (coughNejicough), but that doesn't give each of you Genin a free pass. As you can see, I'm not above killing main characters *wink*. So be warned that if your character was accepted, he/she has a chance of catching death, especially during the Chūnin Exams. That's when shit hits the fan (like with all my other stories, I'm so unoriginal T_T).**

**With that being said, the accepted characters will be on the bottom of this chapter and also on my profile. If your character was accepted, congratulations! Welcome to The Next Generation (though I bet you're not so happy with a homicidal Kage after you guys lol)! If you were not accepted, I'll be messaging each of you shortly to give my condolences. You honestly do not know how hard this decision was. There was so, so many wonderful characters and only 9—**

**Oh, wait, sorry guys but I made change without telling any of you all. Because there was about 50 submissions and only 9 spots, I decided to change the spots from 9 to 12. I just couldn't handle not accepting so many amazing characters, so even though 12 is hardly any better, it saved some of you from not making the cut. ^_^ So there will be 6 boys and 6 girls, because the girls deserved an even enough chance just like the boys to get picked.**

**Anyway, as I was saying, I am so, so sorry for not accepting your character. The decision was so stressful and I was up night after night just thinking of how hard it was going to be. I loved each and every one of my submissions—seriously, I am not lying—and it pained me to make the decisions. Some of my submitters were friends, and I even made friends with a few submitters. And yet, not all of them was accepted. The odds just weren't great and I'm really sorry about that. I really, really am. But it had to be done. I was looking for the very, very best, and for those that would make for interesting relationships among the characters. Please don't resent me for it. :(**

**Phew, that took a burden off of my chest. But the worst part is yet to come. Messaging you all. *uglysobs***

**I-I think I'll start listing the characters that were accepted now.**

1. Katsura Harumi

2. Hattori Kaname

3. Katsura Yukimi

4. Kobayashi Noroi

5. Himura Sango

6. Ishida Jiro

7. Maekawa Hotaru

8. Yamamoto Kenta

9. Aburame Shiina

10. Nekomata Taido

11. Fire Daimyo's Daughter Shizuna

12. Kasami Luki

**The teams will be announced on the next chapter, in the chapter this time lol. If I announced it today, well, it'd kinda ruin the surprise (also I haven't officially made them yet shhh).**

**Also, I don't understand why, but a lot of you figured I'd have an OC entered as well. That's...not true xD. I'm actually writing in the point of view for each of the characters that were accepted. Since 12 were accepted, 6 will be written for each chapter. Your character may be featured in the next chapter, or they may not. Don't ask me about it ;)**

**Well, I think that's all. Congratulations for the ones that were accepted, and I'm truly sorry for those who weren't. This is officially the start of The Next Generation! And you're in for a ride, trust me. ;)**


	3. Graduation

**The Next Generation**

_Graduation_

* * *

_Life is the most exciting opportunity we have. But we have one shot. You graduate from college once, and that's it. You're going out of that nest. And you have to find that courage that's deep, deep, deep in there. Every step of the way._ — **Andrew Shue**

* * *

**Maekawa Hotaru, Konoha Genin, 12**

_Dear Father,_

_Today is the day that I'm finally becoming an official Genin. After six years of training, working, preparing—I'll finally be put in a squad of three and given my Jōnin-sensei. I wish you were able to be my sensei...but that's pretty impossible now, right? Still, I'd really like it if you were my sensei._

_Actually, I'd like it more if you were still alive._

Despite the pain, my lips quirk up into a wry smile. The feeling is foreign; I never, ever smile while I'm at home, and even during school I'm always wearing a poker-face. Nobody talks to me anyway. I just don't understand them, and they don't understand me.

Blinking away a few tears, I press the pencil against the paper to start writing again.

_There's no-one in particular I want to be on a team with, but I hope it's someone that'll take the time to understand and work with me. I'd really like that. What about you, father? You never told me who was on your Genin Squad. Did you like them? Were they friendly? _

I glance at the clock situated on my pure white wall. Other girls my age probably have their walls painted a multitude of colors—but not me. Mother wants everything in my room to be white, because white is pure and lady-like.

I don't have the heart to tell her how much I hate it.

"Almost 11:00," I say absently, my voice soft. Of course it's soft, I'm hardly ever using it. Turning back to the letter, I say to myself, "I better finish this up."

_I'll write you another letter when I get back home today, father. I'll tell you all about my teammates, and I'll tell you about my sensei, too. ...I love you, dad._

_From, Hotaru. _

"Maekawa," I hear someone call from behind me, stern yet emotionless. "What on earth are you doing? You do realize that you're going to be late if you continue to lounge around, right?"

Quickly turning around, I come face to face with my mother. As usual, she's wearing a pure white kimono, a gray obi wrapped around her waist. Her eyes are a dark brown—though, considering how dead they look, it's more like a black—and her long blonde hair is wrapped up in a bun, just like how she makes me wear it.

I'm always being told that I look more like my father. My eyes are lighter than hers, and my hair is black—both traits coming from him. I don't know how she feels about that, but I doubt she likes it. _Proper ladies have lighter hair colors_, is what she'd probably say.

"Yes ma'am," I mumble, avoiding eye contact. "I apologize. I'll be ready in a second." _Even though I'll be an hour early if I leave now. _Hiding the letter behind my hands, I wait for her to allow me to move. _Never do anything without being instructed, _she always tells me.

She looks me over with a scrutinizing eye...before nodding. My mother turns around to leave, but suddenly, her eyes catch something shiny on my dresser. My Konoha forehead protector—proof that I'm now a shinobi of Konohagakure. For a second, she just stares at the item, the seconds slowly ticking away.

"...Why do you want to become a ninja, Maekawa?" She asks.

I suddenly feel very cold, her dead eyes staring down at me almost accusingly. Don't get me wrong, I love my mother more than anything in this world—but sometimes, times like this, I'm almost afraid of her.

No, not afraid of her, afraid of what she could _become_. Ever since my father died five years ago, all the warmth in my house died with him. My mother's beautiful smile—gone. My grandparents' cheeriness—gone.

_They don't know how to grieve_, I realized a while ago. And back then, I didn't know how to grieve either. I would go through the day hiding my emotions behind an indifferent facade, and then go to bed crying until I dozed off.

We've all figured out how to grieve now, though. I grieve through my unsent letters, my mother grieves through turning me into the ideal lady, and my grandparents' grieve through seeing me happy.

And yet, I'm probably the only one who's gaining progress. Becoming a ninja basically shattered my mother's dream of me; she continues to try, and even I continue to try, but we both know that I'll never be the perfect girl she wants me to be. My grandparents' aren't getting any happier either; their happiness comes from my happiness, and at home, I'm never truly happy.

I hate how the warm feelings died with my father; I hate how my family can't grieve properly; I hate how I can't bring my mother happiness; I hate how I can't ever be myself.

"Father was a ninja," I answer, masking the panic behind my usual facade. I know it's not a good enough answer for her, but it's the only answer I can give.

My mother's eyes narrow. "Takeru is _dead_. It is not healthy for a lady to live in the past." And yet, I can see how the mention of him affects her. She becomes defensive, she becomes reclusive. She may not live in the past, but the past has much more effect on her than she'd like to know.

I want to help her. I want to...hug her like how the girls in my class hug each other. I want to comfort her. I want to throw away the foolish desire to become a shinobi and conform the way she wants me to.

_But that's not what you want. _It's not. Doing that would disappoint my grandfather and break my grandmother's heart. And what would my father think, if he was still alive?

I want to console everyone, even the inconsolable—but I can't. I can't, and I hate that I can't.

My mother turns away from me, disappointment showing all in her body language. "Maekawa, I hope you understand just how much this hurts me. But fine, get dressed in _proper_ clothing and go on."

For a moment, my poker-face cracks and pain flashes across my face.

_What do I do? Become the dignified, fragile flower my mother wants me to be? Or become the strong, fierce shinobi that I want to be? Why can't I be both?_

"Hopefully you'll get out of this rebellious phase quickly and I can start teaching you how to fully become a lady."

"Yes ma'am."

_Whatever I choose, it'll hurt. At least that's for certain. _

* * *

**Nekomata Taido, Konoha Genin, 12**

"So," I begin, grinning at my soldiers. "As you all know, I'm officially becoming a ninja today." I point at the forehead protector hanging around my neck for clarification. "That means, when I'm away on long missions, I won't be here to take you through your drills. That doesn't mean you all get a break, though; even when I'm gone, I want you practicing until your little kitty hearts can't take anymore. Okay?"

The felines all meow at me, toothy smiles on their faces. It's funny how easy it is to control every single cat in this alleyway—though I guess it has something to do with my clan. We _are_ basically the cat equivalent to the Inuzuka clan. They're masters at raising dogs, and we're masters at raising cats.

Still, no-one in either clan can compare to _my_ awesomeness. Almost every stray cat in the village comes to this alley almost every single day. You know how many cats that is? About 100, and we're _still_ recruiting more members! Soon I'll have an army the size of Iwagakure—and then, _then_ I'll use this army to burn Kirigakure to the ground!

...Someday.

I yawn, plopping down on a random trashcan lid. "So, um...that's basically it. Go to the compound if you're hungry. Or you can start practicing at the training grounds. Personally, I'm too exhausted to do either..."

Ignoring my last comment, the cats split up. Some go to my clan compound for some food, others head to the training grounds to train. My dad's a cat-fanatic; he feeds the unnaturally large herds of cats whenever they come, not even knowing that they're _my_ cats. He hardly knows anything about me. I doubt he even knows today's my orientation.

...But that doesn't bother me much. Sure, sometimes I get a bit jealous that my three elder brothers get most of the attention...but I honestly don't mind most of the time. I'm the lazy son, the youngest son, the forgettable son. I'm okay with that. Whenever my parents need something done, they definitely don't call me to do it...so that's awesome.

Shaking the thoughts outta my head, I get off the trashcan lid and stretch my tired muscles. I don't want to...but I might as well head off to the academy. Personally, I think it's _way_ too early to be going to school. What sane person gets up at this time anyway? If I had it my way, I'd still be in bed. I think 4:00 in the afternoon is a _perfect_ time to get up.

"Suck it up, Taido," I mumble, putting my hands in my pocket and walking out the alley into the morning road. Some villagers smile and wave at me, and somehow I find the energy to smile back. I don't wave, though; waving is definitely too much work.

_Just imagine, Taido. You could've been dead asleep in your comfy bed right now. Nobody would've woken you up. _But that's not true. My brothers are too mean to care to wake me up, but my older sister would've woken me. She's the only one that continually remembers I'm in the house, the only one that remembers I'm apart of the family, too.

Sometimes, I think she's the only one that loves me. _Shut up, idiot, _I immediately scold myself, shaking my head again. _Of course everyone else loves you. They're just too self-preoccupied to show it, that's all. _

Yeah, that's all. Dad's just too busy taking care of all the cats. Mom's just too busy, being a ninja and all. My brothers all have their own seperate lives, too—but I wouldn't know that for sure. They never take the time to tell me about...well, anything.

My family's neglect—well, not neglect, but I don't feel like thinking of a better word right now—is the main reason I have my cat army in the first place. It keeps me preoccupied when I have literally nothing else to do. I can't be lazy _all_ the time, right?

Well, that's one reason I have my cat army. The second reason is that I someday plan on attacking Kirigakure with them. A long time ago, the Mizukage started killing our clan off. I don't really know why, but the textbooks say that Kiri never was kind to those with Kekkei Genkai—even though the Nekomata clan doesn't really have any Kekkei Genkai. We're just more tuned in with cats than regular people. Sure, we may look a bit different than others—my yellow cat-like eyes are an example—but that doesn't mean they can just start killing us!

A handful of Nekomata clan members escaped, though, and since Konoha is so friendly, they let us stay and repopulate our clan here. When I'm old enough, my army and I are gonna pay the Mizukage a little visit. The political issues are gonna be a bitch, though...

I yawn again. "Whatever. After I destroy Kiri, there won't be much to worry about. Konoha will just sweep the issue under the carpet." I may be lazy, but I'm still smart enough to know that Konoha isn't as perfect as it seems. We have problems just like anyone else.

The difference is just that we're awesome and they're not.

I rub my eyes, mentally cursing myself for getting up so early. I just needed to make sure my army understood that I won't be able to be with them as often anymore. I'd be too lazy to tell them after the orientation, so doing it early was better than not doing it at all.

...Still, I _really_ don't feel like this. I just wanna take a nap...

Up ahead, I see one of my classmates—Maekawa Hotaru, I think her name is. She's also walking to the academy, dressed in an overly fancy white kimono and even fancier hair pins in her black hair. I think she's rich or something. I wouldn't know; we don't really associate. I'm too lazy to take the initiative and she's always alone whenever I spot her.

...But that doesn't explain why she's walking to the academy _now_. She's almost an hour early! Sure, I'm walking there now, too...but I'll be able to get some sleep while everyone else comes in. What's her deal? Is she insane?

"Hey," I call out to her. "Hotaru! That's your name, right?" She stops walking and turns around, giving me a blank stare.

"Yes," she says. "And you're Nekomata Taido. Good morning." ...Well, she's definitely proper. That's for certain.

I grin, scratching my messy bed-head. "Yeah. G'morning."

We start back walking, an awkward silence falling between us. Dammit, why did I suddenly talk to her? What am I supposed to say? This is the first time I've ever even said a word to her! How are you supposed to start a conversation like that?

"Is there something you need, Nekomata-san?"

"Huh? Oh, umm..." I _totally_ didn't expect her to ask me that. Her voice is so soft and blunt... "Well..." Ugh, thinking of some stupid excuse is too much work. I'll just be blunt like her. "Why are you walking to the academy so early?"

Her head turns to stare at me, her light brown eyes boring into my yellow ones. For a second, her emotionless face looks sad, but when I blink it's back to it's uncaring way.

"A proper lady goes anywhere earlier than the given time, no matter how early that may be," she answers, sounding exactly like she's reading off a drilling manual. I open my mouth to, well, _respond_...but she turns away from me, signalling that the conversation is now over.

I stare at her for a moment, but she just continues giving me the cold shoulder—so I turn away, focusing on the street. She's weird. No wonder she's always all alone. And to think, there's a chance I'll be put on a team with her.

Not trying to be mean, but I _don't_ want to be teamed up with her. I just don't think we'd click.

"...What are _you_ doing here so early?" She suddenly asks me. I blink, trying not to look so surprised that she's actually continuing the conversation with me. Why did it take her so long to ask? Man, she's so awkward…

"I was training my cats," I answer casually, smiling. "I actually have an army of them. They're pretty strong, too. I bet they'd give any ninja a run for their money, that's for sure. I'm so awesome, right?"

We stop walking, staring up at the huge academy building. Inside, we'll get our teams and sensei. Inside, we'll start our career as official ninja. I'd cheer if I had the energy.

"Why?" She asks, and then faintly blushes at the look I give her. "I mean, why do you have an army of cats? Is...that normal?" ...Is she making fun of me? I honestly can't even tell anymore.

I shrug. "Nah, only cool people like me get to own an army like that." I point at myself, grinning. "When I'm older, _everyone's_ gonna know me! The King of Cats! That's what they'll call me!"

And maybe, just maybe, my family will finally acknowledge me, too. Sometimes, that's all I really want.

* * *

**Ishida Jiro, Konoha Genin, 12**

_My dad looks up from the newspaper, his hard eyes boring into my skull. "Don't hold your future teammates back," he says. "They won't hesitate to kick you off the team if you're too soft."_

_So I'm supposed to be a cold bastard like you? Yeah, no thanks._

I walk in the classroom with my usual cheerful smile, betraying the thoughts swimming through my head. No matter how many years pass, it's like my father's the only person that can force me to think such awful things. I'm usually always happy, always smiling, always finding the good in everyone and everything—but he's the one person that can make my attitude take a u-turn.

What's wrong with continuously being kind to people? What's wrong with wanting to help everyone? How am I too soft? How will that make me a bad ninja?

"Hiya Jiro-kun!" Katsura Harumi greets, waving and grinning her bright smile. I notice her Konoha headband's around her waist; I guess that suits someone like her. She's probably the only one here that can rival my happiness. Though while I'm just content being nice and kind, she's bubbly and all over the place. We're alike yet opposites at the same time.

"Hey Harumi," I say, smiling as I take the seat next to her.

"Ugh, I _told_ you to call me _Harumi-chan!_" She mock-pouts, shoving me playfully. We both laugh; as usual, we're the loudest ones in the class. Most of the people here aren't as talkative as us—but that's fine. If they're more content keeping to themselves, who am I to stop them?

Sitting in the row right in front of me is Nekomata Taido, dead asleep as usual. I'm pretty surprised he got here before me, though; he's always coming late, giving some half-assed excuse about it being too early for school. He's awfully lazy, but he's a pretty cool guy once you get over that—and the cat smell.

_My mom smiles reassuringly, wiping away my silent tears. "You're just...softer than your siblings, Jiro." _

_That doesn't mean I don't have what it takes to fulfill my dreams. I'm just as good as them. I am._

"Aren't you excited for today?" Harumi asks me, breaking me out of my seriously depressing thoughts. She twirls a piece of blonde hair with her finger, leaning against me and sighing blissfully. "I've been waiting _so_ long for this. I just can't wait any longer! Do you think we'll be on the same team, Jiro-kun?"

A spectator might think Harumi and I are dating, but we really aren't. She's just touchy and flirtatious by nature. And it doesn't help at all that she's by far the best looking girl in here.

"I hope so," is all I say, still smiling. I look around the classroom, seeing everyone who's here. Iruka-sensei won't get here till later, I guess. Sitting by the window is Hotaru, an almost melancholic look in her brown eyes. I tried to talk to her once, but I think she must be really sheltered, because it was like...we were from different worlds. Still, I bet she's secretly hiding a really sweet person behind that indifferent poker-face.

_My dad narrows his eyes, pointing at the training dummy. "The world isn't as sweet as you think! You need to be more aggressive!"_

_I don't! Why can't I just be myself? Why is that not good enough for you?_

Sitting on the row above her is Harumi's twin sister, Katsura Yukimi. Honestly, I don't know how they could be related. The only thing that's alike about them is their emerald green eyes. That's all. _Really_. Harumi's hair is blonde, Yukimi's is black. Harumi's hair is wavy, Yukimi's is straight. Harumi's exuberant, Yukimi's blunt and uncaring. They're polar opposites; it's kinda unnerving.

Sitting right beside Yukimi is Aburame Shiina. To be honest, I don't really know much about Shiina. I pride myself on making as many friends as possible...but she's just one girl I've never had the urge to speak to. Heh, there's a pretty funny rumor about her, though. They say if you bad-mouth her bugs, she'll appear directly behind you and chase you around, a suspicious buzzing sound coming from her coat. That made people really wary around her. Yukimi doesn't seem to mind her company, though...

_Ichiro grabs my shoulder, an earnest expression on his face. "Bro, you can't help everyone. It's just...not possible, man."_

_And why can't I? Is it because I'm nicer than you? Is it because I won't conform the way dad forced you?_

"Hey Harumi, Jiro," Kasami Luki greets, smiling his typically warm smile, wooden guitar strapped to his back. Let me just say it now: Luki is _awesome_ at playing the guitar. Like, really awesome. After class, he usually just sits outside and plays it to himself, a small crowd typically forming to hear the melodious sound.

Harumi beams at him. "Hiya Luki-chan!" The brown-haired boy twitches when he hears the teasing honorific added, but he doesn't comment on it. He just nods at me—I nod back at him, still smiling—and goes to his seat.

Luki's an okay guy. Pretty nice, really smart. Sometimes when we're all grouped up he'll wanna be on his own—but that's just something about him. Big groups aren't his thing. There's nothing wrong with that, right?

_Just like how there's nothing wrong with me. I'm fine just the way I am. I don't need to change for my stupid dad. _

Harumi giggles when Luki's out of earshot. "He's pretty cute," she says. "But there's a devious side to him. I just _know_ it."

I roll my eyes. "They say birds of a feather flock together."

"I know." She leans in closer to me, an impish smile gracing her face. "That's why we're friends, right?"

For some reason, I get really cold when she says that. Harumi knows I'm not just the pleasant guy these people see everyday. I'm not devious or manipulative at all—and I'm sure Luki isn't either—but I'm not exactly pure.

Sure, I'm pretty cold and unfriendly around my father. But that's just because he thinks I'm not tough enough. He thinks I'm _weak_. He thinks I don't have what it takes to make it in this world. He already has my older brother acting exactly like him, and even my little sister's picking up some of his qualities. I'm the only one that seems to have a mind of my own.

I know he's my father, and I know he just wants what's best for me—that's why I try to keep my resentment hidden under layers and layers of smiles and laughter. But it's so hard. It's just so hard...

Giving my blonde friend a precarious smile, I shrug. "Everyone has something they want to hide. I'm no different than anybody in here."

"Not me." She puffs her...rather large chest out, laughing. "I'm an open book. Ask me anything and I'll give it to ya straight up!"

I laugh, pushing her away. "Whatever." Harumi's so eccentric sometimes. I seriously wonder how I'm friends with someone like her.

"Are you two fooling around today of all days? Really guys?" Himura Sango sits down beside me, smiling that amazingly pretty smile of hers. Her dark brown hair stops right at her waist, brushed to perfection. Her skin is fair with no blemishes or bumps whatsoever. Perfect in every sense of the word.

But Sango-chan's best feature is her sapphire blue eyes. They bright up a room almost instantly, and if you look close enough, you can see a subtle gray lightning pattern. Her eyes are the most beautiful—no, _she_ is definitely the most beautiful girl in all the many nations.

"H-Hi, Sango-chan," I stutter, mesmerized by her eyes. She smiles directly at me, but then quickly turns away, cutting me off from her electrifying eyes.

She starts talking with Harumi, but I tune them out, drifting into my own thoughts of Sango and love and teams and sensei's and—

"Okay class, settle down!" Iruka-sensei booms, walking into the room. Everyone grows silent; getting in trouble today of all days doesn't sound like the wisest plan. He closes the door behind him and smiles. "Well, it looks like everyone's here. I think it's time we start the orientation."

And it begins. The start of my new life. I don't care what my father says; I'll become a shinobi that's strong _and_ kind.

You can bet on it.

* * *

**Hattori Kaname, Konoha Genin, 13**

"Okay class, settle down!" Iruka demands, still treating us like we're little brats. He may be older than older than me, but as a full-fledged ninja of Konoha, I don't think he has that authority over us anymore. I mean, heh, I could probably beat him in a fight right now! Iruka doesn't seem really strong, to be honest...

Nonetheless, I go quiet, not daring to challenge his authority today. The last thing I need is for him to pull out the Academy Teacher card and revoke my ninja license somehow.

Iruka beams at us. "Well, it looks like everyone's here. I think it's time we start the orientation." I grin at that, squirming in my seat a bit. I can't _wait_ to hear the team I'll be put in! Sure, I'll be stronger than them all—but so what? A new page in my life is starting!

Sitting to the right of me is Shizuna, the Daimyo's daughter. Why she wanted to become a ninja is totally beyond me. Flipping her long brown hair, she scoffs. "It's about time!" She exclaims, causing Iruka to frown and a few unimportant students to laugh.

I don't care much for Shizuna. For starters, she's pretty pathetic—and I'm not even trying to be mean. I have no idea how she got a high enough score to pass. I bet her uber important daddy must've pulled a few strings for her.

I, on the other hand, am most likely Rookie of the Year. Just wanted to let that out into the world.

But secondly, she's obnoxious, and I can't stand obnoxious people. Shizuna's really haughty, and sometimes, I don't even think she's taking this ninja business seriously. I feel she's only doing this on a whim—and even to make fun of us who's trying our hardest. Sure, she's cute and sometimes shows a determination that I can't help but admire...but she just rubs me the wrong way.

Hopefully I'm not in her team...

Shizuna notices me staring at her and smirks. _Today her lipstick is green_, I note shamelessly. She changes the color every day.

"Something you like?" She purrs, now smiling sultrily. I frown; she's almost as bad as that Harumi chic.

Iruka's talking about something completely unimportant, and the anticipation is driving me insane. _I want to know the teams now, man! I hate waiting!_ Having a conversation with Shizuna just might pass the time...

"Not particularly," I reply, smiling. I'm typically way nice—with just the right amount of harmless teasing—but as I said, Shizuna rubs me the wrong way. "Just wondering why it looks like you demolished green cake and forgot to clean your face. That's all."

She blinks. "Excuse me?"...Yeah, she totally didn't get it. I should've expected as much.

"Ugh, nothing. Stupid priss," I mumble, rolling my eyes and focusing back on Iruka. Well, not focusing, but more-so just waiting until the good part.

Why does he have to tell us how proud he is? He _should_ be proud of me! He's the teacher of a soon-to-be legend, probable even greater than the Hokage! And yeah, we're obviously not little kids anymore; he doesn't have to tell us to take things seriously from now on.

I've been taking things seriously my whole life. When my father was killed, just _guess_ who had to raise my two little siblings. My mother was too broken to do much, and my uncle was too busy doing my father's job—selling imported things that don't originate in Fire Country, all over the country. My father was killed by Rogue Ninja that wanted an extra buck. They attacked his company and slayed everyone.

No, I'm not bitter about anything. I'm just saying: taking care of my siblings, building this family back up from depression, excelling as a shinobi—I've been doing my hardest for _years_. I'm not just gonna suddenly stop _now_. Iruka should be telling Ms. Priss that stuff.

Glancing again at the brown-haired noble, I see that she's staring at her perfectly manicured nails, not listening to our teacher one bit. Hmph, figures. Long ago, when I first started this class, I was—_embarrassingly_—super excited that Shizuna was attending the same class. She used to be—and probably still is—in the Television and Movie Industry, getting cast for all kinds of roles imaginable and becoming sort of a super star. Back then, I watched a lot of television, and I still love movies—so of course I saw a few of her things.

But of course, actors can be very decieving. It's basically in their blood. My first crush turned out to be nothing like how I expected her to be. It literally broke my heart from the inside-out, and I grew to resent her a bit. I felt like I was manipulated, and I hate manipulators. I _hate_ them.

"Squad Seven..." Iruka's boring drawl snaps me out of my thoughts. I blink, latching on to what he just said.

...Squad..._Seven?!_ How did I miss the first six?! Was I in one of them? Oh God, _please_ don't tell me I just missed what team I'm in. Shizuna'a listening intently, her bright eyes flashing, so it's a good guess that she hasn't been called yet. But what about me? Dammit, dammit, _dammit!_

"Kasami Luki," he starts, smiling at the white sheet in his hands. "Himura Sango, and Hattori Kaname. These are the three members of Squad Seven. Your Jōnin-sensei is Hatake Kakashi-san."

There's a collective gasp at the mention of the Jōnin's name, but I ignore that, grabbing whatever pieces of information I can find about my teammates hidden in my brain. I have many friends...but I don't think I know my those two much...

Oh! Wait, I remember! Luki's the kid with the guitar, the one that I can always feel glaring at me whenever I beat him in a sparring match. Heh, well at least it's certain I'm better than _him_. Not my fault he's pretty slow. Though I think it'd be annoying to have a teammate that's jealous of me... I better nip that issue in the bud soon.

...And isn't Sango that girl with the weird eyes? Yeah, I think I remember overhearing Iruka talking about her. Apparently, her eyes are some sort of fortune-telling Dojutsu. Stare into them long enough and you'll know your future, something like that. I stopped listening because of the ridiculousness of it all. But, if I _am_ able to see my future in her eyes... Wow, that's pretty awesome! _If it's true, _my inner pessimist mutters.

"Heh. I guess my teammates aren't the _worst_." I grin, thanking every single deity imaginable for not putting me with Shizuna.

...But wait, who did Iruka say my sensei was—?

"Oh my God, _the_ Hatake Kakashi is our sensei?! Is that true, old man?!" I can't help but blurt out, jumping straight up. All eyes turn to me.

Iruka sighs, nodding. "That's what Hokage-sama wants. Kakashi-san isn't pleased about suddenly becoming a sensei again, though...so good luck." He gives us a tired smile. I'm too shocked to care. Hatake Kakashi is the known as the famous Copycat Ninja! The _Sharingan_ in his left eye records everything! Not to mention, he was the _Hokage's_ sensei.

Kakashi is a _legend_. And now he's my sensei..?

"Ha! Figures someone amazing like me would be given the best sensei!" I laugh, sitting back in my seat. I turn around and flash the class a grin. "Sorry suckers. Better luck next life."

Iruka suddenly coughs in his hand, signaling for me to be quiet. And because I'm satisfied, I shut up immediately. That doesn't stop the smug smirk forming on my face, though.

"Right. Anyway, now for Squad Eight. Listen carefully because I'm not repeating myself." Our teacher looks down at the sheet of paper in his hands. "...Kobayashi Noroi, Katsura Harumi, and Ishida Jiro. These are the three members of Squad Eight. You will be taught by Sarutobi Konohamaru..."

...If my memory serves me right (which it usually does), Noroi's the quiet guy that always sits in the corner. Nobody talks to him as far as I know. Probably because he's not really strong during sparring and he's dreadfully shy; nobody has the time to bring him out of his shell. _I_ sure don't.

Harumi's just a big ball of sunshine—if you're on her good side. Always grinning, always acting flirtatious, and she also has a glowing determination that I just can't help but admire. But she's quick to manipulate boys with her killer good looks, so I try to keep my distance lest I get reeled in.

Jiro's just an all-around cool guy. He's one of the people I actually hang out with, because he's just an awesome person. Still, even though we're friends...he's not exactly the strongest leg in the chair. That's for sure. If we were on a team, I'd definitely bring him up to par. But we're not, so he'll just have to rely on his sensei.

"Isn't that awesome, Jiro-kun?! We're on the same team! Yay!"

"Y-Yeah, that's cool..."

I turn around to see Harumi hugging Jiro, farting rainbows like usual. Jiro's smiling, too, but there's something in his eyes that tell me he's not as excited as his friend. Probably because he doesn't have an awesome sensei like me.

But Sarutobi Konohamaru—whoever that is, though the name is uber familiar—just might be strong. Sarutobi was our Third Hokage's surname...so yeah, I guess that's cool. Not as cool as _my_ sensei, but maybe a close second.

"Now for Squad Nine," Iruka says, and the whole class goes deathly quiet. Nine is considered a very, _very_ unlucky number. Whoever gets put on that team—well, let's just say someone should start making their gravestones. "Nekomata Taido, Katsura Yukimi, and Yamamoto Kenta. These three are the members of Squad Nine. Your Jōnin-sensei will be, um, Mitarashi Anko..."

There's a collective pause as we all think about just who we're losing. Taido's the lazy red-headed boy I dislike. His clan specializes in _cats_—of all things! I hate cats. Good thing we're not on the same team. But still, it won't be nice when he inevitably dies...

Yukimi is Harumi's twin sister. She's another person I don't talk to. While she's one of the strongest females in the class, she's also one of the most...unlikable. She talks and acts in a way that screams "_I'm better than you._" It's even worse than Shizuna because Yukimi's actually smart enough to hit where it hurts the most. She can't hurt _me_, though. I'd bend that girl like a twig if it ever got that serious.

And then there's Kenta, the typically bored-looking kid sitting right beside me. Right now, though, he's scowling. I pride myself in knowing that I'm older, bigger, and stronger than everyone in the class—but Kenta's a very, very close second. He's actually bigger than me, but I'm still older and stronger. His build just makes it hard(er) to beat him during sparring. But I still do. And on the off-chance that I lose, I just beat him harder the next time. Can't have him thinking he's better than me or something!

Still, while I'm first in Taijutsu, Kenta's not far behind. He's probably the only one in class that I respect because of his strength alone—but I don't respect him on anything else. I actually really dislike him, as does most of the class. He's settled down a bit, but he used to be a really big bully. There's a handful of people I know that actually _quit_ because of him! They're weak—but that still doesn't make what he did acceptable. I hate people who pick on the weak.

_Good riddance, _I think, crossing my arms. _The Team Nine curse will eat those three up and spit 'em out. _But even I know how stupid and insensitive that is of me. Taido shouldn't die just because his clan happens to specialize in something I don't like. And sure, Yukimi can be a real bitch—but there'd be hardly anyone left in the world if every bitch just so happens to die. Kenta's... Well, it's just not right for me to want him dead.

Nobody speaks. We're all taking in the fact that three of our classmates are basically being put on death row.

...But suddenly, the tense, awkward silence is broken when Taido groans loudly. "_Seriously_, I'm in Squad _Nine?_ That's so unfair, Iruka-sensei! The last members of Squad Nine all disappeared, like, a week ago!"

Iruka winces at that. I bet he was the one who taught them all. Even the sensei and his ninja dog are nowhere to be found.

Harumi gasps. "Oh my goodness! Y-Yukimi's in the infamous Squad Nine? You can't do that to her! Take her out right now, Iruka-sensei!"

"Stop making a scene," Yukimi demands, her voice stark and detached, her expression closed off. "It's just a stupid myth. How unbelievable it is that you idiots take this stuff to heart."

"But Team Nine all died two years ago in the Chūnin Exams!" Harumi insists. "And their sensei slaughtered them all three years ago! Just imagine what could happen to _you!_"

Iruka coughs, stopping the conversation cold. His face is grim, his eyes saddened. I bet he taught each and every member of the numerous departed Team Nine members. If I was picked to be in that cursed team, I'd be extremely wary—but I wouldn't let some stupid curse stop my ninja career short. I'm better than that, for sure!

"There is no such thing as a _Team Nine curse_," Iruka says, his voice stern. I like how he expects us to believe that. We aren't naïve little kids anymore, sheesh. "I don't want to hear any mention of that foolishness, okay? You all are ninja now, so _act_ like it."

Nobody speaks, probably too ashamed to say anything.

"Good." Iruka smiles a strained smile. "Now, I'm going to announce the members of Squad Ten. Is there some sort of Squad Ten curse I've yet to hear about?" Aha. Funny.

The lack of responses forces Iruka to look down at the paper.

"Maekawa Hotaru, Fire Daimyo's Daughter Shizuna-sama, and Aburame Shiina," he reads, and then he looks back up at us. "These three are the members of Squad Ten. The Jōnin-sensei will be Yamanaka Ino."

A team full of girls, eh? I guess that's interesting. I don't speak to Hotaru, and I don't speak to Shiina—so I know nothing about them. And I've already mentioned how I feel about Shizuna.

Speaking of Little Miss Privileged, she doesn't look too pleased. Having two girls that're, well, pretty mute... That doesn't really click well with her, I bet. Knowing her, she's gonna cause a scene and demand to be placed on another team.

...But surprisingly, she doesn't. She just snorts, sits up in her seat, and smiles haughtily at Iruka. Weird. Maybe she's finally starting to act mature? In that...annoying way of hers.

"Remember, all thirty of you are full-fledged shinobi of Konohagakure. There will be no more playing around. Every decision you make from now on counts. It's up to you to persevere through the ninja world and protect your friends, family, and village."

He's right. Every decision from now on counts. But I'll be making the best decisions. I'll come out with the best results.

"After lunch, you'll meet your new Jōnin-sensei's. Until then, class is dismissed."

_Class is dismissed, but a whole new chapter is beginning._

* * *

**Author's Notes: Yay! This chapter is finished! I know I said that I'd do six POV's a chapter, but I changed my mind. Four is much more manageable. :D I tried not to give away EVERYTHING about the characters, but I don't know, I'm just one for details. Sorry if you don't like that. **

**If your character didn't have a POV, please don't worry and don't think that I don't like them or something. I just figured these four would be the best characters to use at this point. **

**Also, please don't take what another character says about your character to heart. For one, everyone has different opinions on other people. Not everyone will like your character, and yet, not everyone will hate your character. I would go by this rule: Don't dislike a character before seeing their own POV first. Kaname said a few bad things about Shizuna, but don't make a decision about her based on his point of view. When it's her POV, then you can say whether you like her or not. That goes for every character. Though making predictions on who you'll like and not like is fine :D**

**Aaaand yeah, let me elaborate on the Team Nine Curse ;) Basically, ever since ten years ago, the members of Team Nine will die or be so injured that their ninja career is basically finished. Kiba's team from last chapter was last year's Team Nine ;) Don't worry, though. It's not certain they'll die. Just predicted by every one of their classmates xD**

**Hmm... Anything else I need to elaborate on? I don't know. Well, if you have any questions, please don't be afraid to ask. :)**

**Anyway, the teams are revealed! What do you think about them? What about the sensei's? How about the four characters of this chap? Which one is your favorite POV? Tell me in the review~**

**The next chapter will feature the teams getting to know each other and them all meeting their sensei's! So stay tuned~!**

**Oh, and I sorta made a blog for the accepted characters. Please go check it out! The link is on my profile, but I'll add it here, too. **

_**naruto thenewgeneration . blogspot . com**_

**Just take out the spaces and there you go.**

**Bye-nii~!**


	4. Getting to Know One Another

**The Next Generation**

_Getting to Know One Another_

* * *

"_The shortest distance between two people is a story."_ — **Patti Digh**

* * *

**Fire Daimyo's Daughter Shizuna, Konoha Genin, 12**

I smile coyly at Kaname, giggling as he scrunches up his nose. In anger or confusion, I don't know. I just know that it's pretty fun to mess with him.

"Well, I guess I'll be going now," I say, getting up from my seat and stretching, showing off my body. I don't really have any curves yet, but that doesn't matter. Boys simply _adore_ me. And why wouldn't they? I'm easily the prettiest girl in here!

The way Kaname's eyes narrow proves my point.

I wave. "See ya." I turn around and skip to the middle of the classroom, grinning at everyone's eyes on me. Well, not everyone—but that'll be changed soon.

I cup my perfectly smooth hands around my mouth and inhale.

"**HOTARU, SHIINA! AS THE BEST TEAM, WE NEED TO GET A MOVE ON! LET'S GO!**"

_Now_ everyone's eyes are on me. Inwardly, I grin, but outwardly I give an image of power. Daddy taught me that the best way to make people respect and listen is to always look determined and serious. I can't constantly look serious, but I'm really determined! Honest!

It doesn't take my two teammates long to get out of their seats and stand in front of me. Hotaru and Shiina both silently stare at me, and so does everyone else—but that doesn't bother me in the slightest. I relish in the attention of others. I _love_ it.

I smile, the serious side of myself completely washing away. Told ya I can't be like that for long. I'm too full of life! I have so, so, _so_ much to live for—so why waste it on acting stoic all the time? I don't particularly care for people like Hotaru and Shiina. They waste their lives sitting in the corner, not smiling, not doing anything.

_But that's fine. I can definitely get them to be like me. How hard can it be?_

...Hehehe, that rhymed.

"Alright, we're going to get to know each other, okay? So come on, quick, let's go!"

I grab Hotaru's arm and head for the door, motioning for Shiina to follow. Everyone just stares at us as we leave, not even moving out of their seats. Well, of course they aren't. They're all infatuated by me!

Walking through the hallways, turning corners—and in no time at all, we're out of the academy building! We're the first team to make it out! Yay! Already a step ahead of the game. Go Team Ten!

"Where are we eating?" Hotaru asks me, her voice quiet and hardly audible. But of course _I_ heard it.

I put my hands on my hip and grin. "Just follow me, 'kay?"

I take the duo to a secluded spot behind the academy building. I usually eat lunch with my many friends in the classroom—but this time is different, I suppose. This time, my friends aren't here. This time, I'm with two people I've never spoken to before. Two mute people, at that.

_But I can change that_, I think, determined. _At least I'm not in Team Nine. Daddy would never let me be in a psychotic group like that. _

Though, if I did get picked for Team Nine, I'd just quit the ninja business altogether. It's not like I don't have my acting career to fall back on. I used to be a child celebrity; the _best_ child celebrity in Konoha. I only became a shinobi because I wanted to be known for having many amazing talents. I wanted Konoha to understand that I'm not just excellent at acting, but that I'm excellent at, well, everything!

Besides, isn't it just riveting? The Daimyo's daughter as a ninja? _Scandalous!_

"We're eating here?" Hotaru says, looking around. She almost looks surprised—and she should be! I bet she's never seen this place before.

Behind the Academy Building is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. The flowers are a multitude of different colors, and they're so big that they almost reach my knees! It's a wonderful grassy plain with just the right amount of sunlight pouring in, and the scent that envelopes here is almost as great as my perfume. I love it here so, so very much.

I sigh dreamily, my eyes catching a spot that's perfect for us to sit at. Almost like a picnic!

"Isn't it lovely?" I ask, walking towards the spot and motioning for them to follow. "I bet you two never even noticed this was here, right?"

Shiina follows immediately, but it takes Hotaru a moment to regain her bearings. Her light brown eyes had a longing look to them, I notice.

Hotaru shakes her head, but Shiina nods. "This place and I are acquainted," she says, her voice not soft like Hotaru's but definitely not loud like mine. "It's an immaculate place for collecting bugs. They love it here during the summer."

"Collecting bugs?" I grimace at the idea of anyone wanting to collect such disgusting creatures. "Why would you want to do _that?_"

Shiina doesn't skip a beat in answering. "Because I originate from the Aburame clan. Just like how the Inuzuka are enamored by dogs, or like how the Nekomata are enamored by those flea-ridden domestic _vermin_. We have a fondness for insects."

"...Umm..." I tilt my head, blinking. I didn't understand even _half_ of that. "...Well whatever makes you happy, Shiina-chan!" I smile cheerily.

"Shizuna-san," Hotaru speaks from behind me. I turn around, giving her a questionable look. "I understand how Aburame-san knows about this place, but how do you?"

_How do I..?_ Wow, how _do_ I know about this place? I totally for—

"Oh! Wait, I remember!" I exclaim, giggling at the way she flinches at my outburst. "A long time ago, I was working on a movie called _The Garden of Dreams_. I was the main character, Mariya, and this was one of the settings. I was entranced by the beauty of everything, and I've been coming here ever since."

Whenever my mood takes a turn for the worse, I try to come here. This grassy area is magical for me. I wouldn't know what to do without it.

Hotaru and Shiina both nod at me. I understand that I'm gonna have to do most of the talking for a while, but that's fine with me. I love talking. And it's only gonna be like this until I make them as amazing as myself.

During the silence, I take the time to study my teammates. Hotaru's shorter than me, and she's pretty slim. Almost as slim as _me_; I make sure to keep my body looking as amazing as possible. Her black hair's in a bun held in place by two wide and flattish wooden hair pins. The tips of those hair pins, though, are gold and have an intricate vine pattern on them. Very, _very_ pretty.

For a second, I'm mesmerized by them. I'll definitely have to tell mother to buy me some.

Her side bangs stop right above her left eye and curl outwards, while two stray pieces of hair frame her face. Her wide eyes are a light brown, in contrast to my ocean blue. She's wearing a pretty white kimono with light green chrysanthemums on the skirt and a light green obi tied around.

I smile at that. I'm always getting weird looks for wearing pretty things, even during training. Apparently ninja are supposed to look drab—but not me! I'll bring the ninja world to it's knees with my colorful clothes.

"That's a very pretty dress," I compliment, giggling at how she blinks in a confused manner. "Even though you're quiet, you have style, so I guess you aren't all bad."

She nods, her poker-face never wavering. "Thank you."

_Now for Shiina. _I turn to the Abu-_whatever_ girl, studying her closely. She's tall—taller than me, at least. She has fair skin and ash-black hair that's pulled back inside her coat, but it looks like it's in a ponytail from what I can see. The goggles resting on her face have a green-tint to them, complimenting her green eyes nicely. Well, I _think_ her eyes are green...

She's wearing a high-collared beige trench coat that reaches a bit above her mid-thigh. In addition to that, she wears a pair of black capris with the blue standard shinobi sandals, and her ninja headband is secured around her left bicep, over the coat.

I have my headband tied over my head like a bow. Hotaru's headband is on her forehead like most ninja wear them.

"Why do you wear that coat?" I ask the taller girl, curiosity overtaking my senses. "That's so out of style—and it's not even cold."

"Most of my kinsmen are attired in this. It helps to ensconce the insects residing inside."

I blink.

I blink again.

I blink once more.

"_What?_" I demand, incredulous. "First of all, stop talking like that! I can hardly understand a word you're saying! Secondly, did you just say _bugs_ live inside your coat?"

"My apologies, Shizuna-hime," she says—though she doesn't sound sorry at all. Monotone is the only thing I can describe her voice with. "And perhaps I need to be a bit more circumstantial. My insects actually dwell _inside_ of me—"

"_WHAT?!_"

Even Hotaru looks shocked at this.

"How does—?! Why does—?!" I don't know what to ask, what to say, how to respond to that..._that_. Bugs live _inside_ of her? That's freaky and disgusting. Remind me not to get too close...

I shake my head, deciding to just clap my hands cheerily. "Well, it's time to eat!" I'll just act like that conversation didn't happen. Yep, it did _not_ happen.

"Shizuna-san," Hotaru says, opening her bento box. "You left your lunch in the classroom..."

..._Huh? Really?_

"Wow! Silly me!" I laugh, jumping up and turning around. "I'll go get it then! Be right back!"

I sprint for the classroom, shooting past the kids that are finally leaving the building. Though I may not look it, I'm thinking pretty hard right now. My teammates, Hotaru and Shiina, aren't the worst...but they aren't what I want.

_I'll guess I'll just have to transform them. Then we'll be the fabulous team I've always dreamed of. And it can't be that hard, right? _I grin. _It's almost like a plot for one of my movies. Team Ten's future, directly on my shoulders. I'll have to work harder than I've ever worked before—because I'm the main character, I'm the star. _

_I like that._

* * *

**Katsura Harumi, Konoha Genin, 12**

Jiro stares at Squad Seven as they leave the classroom. Kaname looks stern—apparently setting some ground rules, from what I can hear—while Sango just smiles. Luki's laughing, most likely not taking Kaname seriously at all.

I elbow my brown-haired friend in the arm. "Hey, snap out of it."

He blinks back into reality...before smiling at me. "What? What is it?"

"You were staring at them pretty hard..." I feel a smile tugging at my lips. "Don't tell me you wanna be with _them_."

Jiro shakes his head—quickly, too quickly, because he knows I'm just inches away from saying the truth.

"Of course not!" He snorts, pushing me playfully. "Why would I wanna be with them while I'm already on a team with my best friend?"

I know he doesn't want to be with them in particular; he wants to be with _her_. Himura Sango. His crush on her is as obvious as the sky. And being the oblivious innocent girl that she is, she doesn't even know it.

Laughing, I say, "Yeah, that's true. Oh, but it's a shame that Sango-chan isn't on our team. I bet she's really disappointed."

Jiro seems to brighten up yet deflate at the same time. "Really..?"

"Yeah, of course." I nod, forcing the troublemaking smirk back. "She was so excited that she made lunches for all of her new teammates. It's a shame those new teammates didn't turn out to be _us_."

He nods, his small smile looking so sad and depressed. I know it's wrong of me to play on his feelings, but I'm just having fun. It's not like I'm actually hurting anyone.

And if I was, who cares? Some people just need to take that stick out of their ass and party a bit.

"But you know what?" I lean in, making sure he latches on to every word. "We were talking, and she said she made a dish especially for you. She knows how you dislike spicy stuff, so she made everything mild."

His big trusting brown eyes widen. "R-Really?"

"Yep." I turn away, crossing my arms. Time for the big blow. "Too bad she's not on our team, though. Hey, I bet Kaname-kun would like it! He seems like the type, doesn't he?"

I glance at him, and it's hard—_extremely_ hard—to bite back the laugh when I see his face. It's like the life is just slipping out of him, being replaced with worry and dread and hopelessness.

He struggles to speak for a while. "Y-You think so?" He finally croaks out. And then, because it's _just not possible_ to hold it in, I burst out laughing.

"_Stop!_ Stop, you're killing me!" I exclaim, clutching my stomach. It's hard to talk between giggles, but somehow I do. "Oh my goodness, that was just too easy! You really need to stop trusting what other people say, man. God, I'm dying!"

He gapes at me. "...So that was all a lie?"

"Yep!"

His shocked expression gradually turns into a half-assed scowl. "That's not funny, Harumi. You shouldn't play with people's emotions like that."

I shrug, trying to stop laughing but ultimately failing.

"It's alright, Jiro-kun," I say after a while, impish smile stuck on my face. "I'm sure Sango-chan will like you the way you like her. One day..."

"H-H-Harumi!" He shrieks, turning a bright shade of crimson. He looks around the classroom, seeing if anybody heard me. We're the only ones here, though, and Noroi's just silently eating his lunch. "Don't say that out loud," he whispers hotly, still blushing. "How do you know that anyway?!"

I put my finger to my lips in mock-thought. "Hmm... Because it's obvious?"

If looks could kill, I'd be mutilated.

"Sorry, sorry!" I laugh again. Man, Jiro's just too fun to tease. "But it seriously is. Don't worry, though; I've been friends with Sango-chan for a while and she's not the type to notice anything." I poke his left cheek—right on his circular birthmark. "So don't worry, okay? Jeez, you kids and your awkward little crushes."

He slaps my hand away, his face steaming red. "Wh-Whatever."

God, they are just the perfect couple.

I might need to set them up one day. It'll have to be awkward and embarrassing, though—for them, not for me. I'll be sitting in a bush and laughing the entire time.

...Yeah, I _so_ have to do that.

"Anyway!" I clap my hands, ending that amusing little conversation. "I think we should get to know one another. Noroi-kun, do you want one of us to go first or you?"

The boy in question looks up at us, a deadpanned yet strangely nervous expression on his face. When our eyes meet, he looks away—just like how Sango always does, but not in the same way. She does it too quickly, like she has something to hide. He does it because he's most-likely just shy.

"...I'd rather one of you go," Noroi mutters.

I guess we have some warming up to do, huh?

I grin. "That's fine! Since I'm the Squad Leader, I'll tell you about—"

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on." Jiro deadpans. "Who made you the leader?"

I tilt my head. "Um, I did? Do any of you want to be Squad Leader?"

Noroi shakes his head, but Jiro smirks, standing up and puffing out his chest.

"Actually, I think I'd be a fantastic Squad Leader," he says, flexing his muscles. "We should have a vote, though. Who nominates _me_, Ishida Jiro, as leader?"

I laugh haughtily, playfully shoving him back in his seat. This us why Jiro and I click so well, despite our many differences.

For starters, he's not a dull and quiet person—though I _can_ work with people like that. I've had to live with Yukimi all my life...but she's more cynical than anything.

Secondly, even though he's nice, he's got a joking demeanor as well. I'm more outgoing, exuberant, while he's just the guy you go to to talk about your problems—or to get a good laugh. A best friend type, basically.

Lastly, he's just fun. Fun to tease, fun to be around—just a warm guy all-around. If he wasn't my best friend, I could see something going on between us. Though...there'd be complications with that. There would be this hilarious love triangle between him, Sango, and I...and even though I'd end up getting him in the end (because there's _no way_ I'd lose, especially with my Kekkei Genkei on my side), it just wouldn't feel right.

Besides, the Katsura clan comes from the Nadeshiko Village, and we have too many different traditions to count. One tradition, though, is that us girls only marry males that can defeat us in battle. And Jiro can't beat me.

_Yet, _an annoying naughty voice in the back of my head whispers. I ignore it.

"Well, I'll just tell you about myself anyway," I say. "But don't think you've won, Jiro-kun. No matter what, I _will_ be Squad Leader. You're not the leading type anyway."

It's subtle, but he winces at my words. I've hit him right where it hurts, I know it. But sometimes, that's necessary.

I turn back around, grinning at Noroi. "Anyway, my name is Katsura Harumi. That means _Victorious Sunbeauty_, if you don't know. It fits, right? Right?" I wait for my blond teammate to respond...but Noroi just stays quiet, listening without actually looking at me.

...Yeah, we _really_ have some warming up to do.

"I like to cook, take hot baths after a long day...oh, and go on dates." I smile coyly, leaning in and gently touching Noroi's cheek. He flinches, gives me an almost incredulous look, and then stares somewhere south of my eyes.

I remove my hand, almost frowning. Beside me, Jiro stifles his laughter.

...Not the reaction I was going for...

"...I don't like being sweaty, crying, or the academy textbooks," I mumble, the enthusiasm slowly edging out. Why isn't Noroi instantly infatuated with me? Not like I like him or anything, but _come on_, boys usually melt when I touch them like that!

I could always use my Kekkei Genkai, but I don't usually have to push that hard. I'm naturally irresistible!

"When I'm not being my kickass kunoichi self, I sing, arrange flowers, and style hair. I usually style my own hair, though, because my grandma's hair is too short, and Yukimi won't let me anywhere near her hair."

Jiro tries to hide his laughter behind a cough...but Noroi doesn't even smile. It's unnerving how little effect I have on him...

_Just use your Kekkei Genkai. _I can't; not yet, anyway. I'm taking this pretty seriously right now. If I can't even get him to bat an eye my way... Damn, that hurts my pride!

"Is that all?" Jiro asks. He looks concerned. No doubt he's noticing my distress at not being able to woo Noroi. Such a good guy.

I stare at him, thinking of the right words to say—but subconsciously, I start studying my best friend's features. Jiro and I are about the same height; his figure is just scrawnier and his skin's just a bit tanned. His hair is brown, shoulder-length, and his eyes are the same color, if not a bit darker. Jiro's most notable feature, though, is the circular birthmark on his left cheek.

He's wearing a dark t-shirt with a beige vest overtop, and his pants are a dark brown. He's wearing the same blue shinobi sandals that everyone wears, and his headband is tied firmly around his forehead. We haven't talked about it much, but I think he's really excited to finally become a ninja. I know I sure am.

_But if I can't even woo Noroi, what kind of Nadeshiko Kunoichi am I? Our beauty is supposed to be able to topple nations! Or well, that's what the stories all say..._

I turn away, deciding not to answer him, and stare at Noroi. He's pale, with deep dark circles under his eyes that I've somehow never noticed before. His hair is dirty blond, and his eyes are a light orange with just a hint of blue. He's wearing a blood red hoodie that covers him from the chin to his torso, and black jeans that cover the rest of his body—leaving hardly any skin showed. Now that I think about it, I've _never_ seen him without that red hoodie on...even during the Summer!

This guy is an enigma, that's for sure—but it's an enigma I have to solve. No matter what, I _will_ get this boy to look my way, and I _will_ have him warm up to me.

I smirk. _I haven't had a challenge like this in a while. I've almost forgotten: the chase is always the best part._

* * *

**Kasami Luki, Konoha Genin, 12**

"We need to sit together when we get in there," Kaname tells us, his tone leaving no room for discussion. "We're better than them all, so we need to show unity. I bet everyone else still feels awkward around their teammates, and _that'll_ be why we have—and will forever on have—the upper hand. Understand?"

Internally, I sneer at his little monologue. _Right, because we obviously love each other so much—as if! You only think we're the best because you're on this team, but you can't be more idiotic. That—and your stupid pride—will be your downfall._

I think this, but on the outside I just smile and nod, playing the part of the likable goody-two-shoes teammate. It's great that my teammates are complete idiots; they'll never see me for who I really am, how I really don't care for either of them.

Sango, the naïve little school-girl, giggles at our male teammate's stupidness. "Don't be silly, Kaname-kun," she says. "It's not like we're in a competition. This isn't the Bloody Mist Era we're in."

If it was the Bloody Mist Era, we'd have to all fight until there's one left standing, one left alive. And because I'm the smartest—arguably even the strongest if I really try—I'd be the winner. _And Kaname would be the first to go, _I think bitterly, albeit my facade never wavering. I'm too good to screw up like that.

And if I did, would these two imbeciles honestly catch on? I doubt it. So yeah, I guess you could say I'm doubly lucky to be with these two. Even if every word Kaname says grates on the edges of my nerves.

"It's not about being in a competition," he replies, walking through the door and not even holding it for us. Playing my role, I instantly speed up and catch the door for Sango to walk through. She smiles, silently thanking me.

I can definitely use her.

"It's about being the best," Kaname continues. "Don't—not even for a second—let them think they're superior. And if they do? Well, just beat 'em to the ground more-so than you would've."

Sango doesn't respond this time, and even though I know I'm supposed to play this nice, supportive guy, I just can't find it in me to respond to his obtuse _garbage_.

They really need to test for retards like him before giving them headbands. Seriously.

Like Kaname suggested, we sit together at the very top row, right beside the infamous Squad Nine. Most people avoid them because they have the dumb notion that just being close to Squad Nine will give bad luck, but Kaname either doesn't notice or care. I guess I can give him points if it's the latter, but it's most likely just the former. Stupid.

Lunch is over, so more and more teams are filling up the classroom. Iruka's already here, shuffling papers at his desk or something. For someone who taught us for six years, he really doesn't look sad to see us go. Though I guess I'm not sad either. I'm not one for making stupid mistakes, but Iruka found mistakes in _everything_. I guess he thinks it's his job to scold kids, but no, it's not. If I wanted to be scolded...

Wait, I _don't_ want to be scolded. And if I did, it's not like I have a mom to scold me anyway. You can blame Konohagakure for that, the _Beautiful_ _Peaceful_ _Paradise_ Hidden in the Leaves. That's the ignorant pretense it goes by, anyway...

More kids come in, more seats are filled, and ultimately more conversations to eavesdrop on. It's not like I'm some kind of creep; it's so easy to get information from the little things. Like body language, or speech, or even petty conversations between teammates.

Information is power. And power is what I need.

"I can't _believe_ I'm actually in Team Nine," Taido whines, face on the table. "My life is over... Literally!"

His two teammates don't respond. Kenta is just scowling at nothing—because apparently that makes him intimidating. I remember when he would bully the various kids around, and he tried to bully _me_. Ha! It took a lot to play the ignorant, nice act...when in reality I wanted to tell him, in detail, why he's nothing but a self-conscious little boy that thinks hurting others will ease his own stupid pain.

After a while, he just left me alone, because he knew that whatever he did and said slipped off me like water.

Yukimi's just as insecure, using her fiery words to hurt people. But she's a good source of information. She's smart enough to read people probably as good as I can, and she runs a secret business where she gives out info on a lot of random things...for a price, of course. I may need to go to her after this whole thing is finished; knowing a little extra about my two dumb teammates can't hurt.

Yet, as smart as she is, she still can't see the forest from the trees. The only one that could potentially find out the truth about me...is Aburame Shiina.

Speaking of the devil, she's now walking inside with her two female teammates. They all go up the stairs, Shizuna most likely wanting to sit as far up as she can. I don't know which one is worse—Kaname or Shizuna? Shizuna's definitely easier to manipulate...so I guess I'd rather have been in a group with her.

"Hello, Shiina-san," I greet, smiling warmly.

She glances at me, most of her expression hidden behind that coat and those goggles. "Hello, Kasami Luki-san," Shiina says.

And with that short response, she walks off, not even sparing me another glance. I want to glare at her, tell her how she may be smart but still nowhere near my intellectual level—but I do neither. I just smile to myself and turn back to my team

I'm truly an amazing actor, if I do say so myself.

The rest of the teams come in and take a seat, none of them looking too comfortable yet. I guess Kaname was right for once—but his reasoning was still stupid, and it doesn't take away the fact that we hardly know anything about each other either.

Everyone has their hidden skeletons, and mine may not even be the worst. Sango seldom looks anyone in the eyes for too long, and Kaname hardly said anything about himself. I bet they each have secrets that they don't want coming into the light.

And because they don't want it coming into the light, I'll just have to find out myself.

Iruka suddenly clears his throat, wanting everyone to be quiet. And not surprisingly, everyone shuts up.

"Class—or should I say Genin now?" He laughs, a bittersweet smile forming on his tanned face. "I didn't say much before lunch, but what I _did_ say was important. I've watched you all grow up from 6-year-old brats to full-fledged shinobi. It was an honor teaching such an amazing group of kids, and I just know that each and every one of you have something special that you're going to accomplish. I'll truly miss you all." He grins, closing his eyes to probably stop the tears from flowing. "Good luck, Ge—"

Exactly at that moment, a woman jumps inside the classroom through the window, shocking everyone—including me! The lady—most-likely a Jōnin—has light brown, pupil-less eyes. She has black hair with a blue tint to it, which is styled in a short, spiky, fanned-ponytail. She's wearing a tank overcoat with a purple in-seam and a fitted mesh body suit that stretches from her neck down to her thighs. She also has on a dark orange mini-skirt, as well as a Konoha forehead protector on her forehead. Around her neck, though, is a small pendant that looks like a snake fang.

"I am Mitarashi Anko!" She announces, fist-pumping the air. "This is my first time being a sensei, but don't think you can pull shit on me. I will literally _eat_ you if you give me a bad time." She pauses, giving us all a grin so big that it's scary. "So, umm... Would Team Nine get their asses up here?"

Everyone starts mumbling at the Jōnin's abrupt appearance, while Iruka glares at her for interrupting him. Funny how the unlucky Squad Nine gets the psychotic sensei. I guess it makes sense...

The three Genin and their sensei leave the classroom in seconds. It's rather anti-climatic how simple that whole ordeal was. You'd think—because it's the first team to leave—that there'd be fireworks or something.

...Nah, you'd be dumb to think that.

Even though she _did_ ram through the window.

The rest of the teams go by fast. There's only a few that really interest me—like the Third Hokage's boisterous grandson, or the flighty Yamanaka girl that calls her group of girls "just adorable." Time goes on, more teams leave, and I can just _sense_ Kaname getting more and more irritated at our sensei's tardiness.

"You'd think as the best group, our sensei would be the first one here," he mumbles, tapping the table impatiently.

I smile, forcing a laugh out. "I'm sure Kakashi-sensei's just thinking about how to greet us," I lie. "We should cut him some slack. A few minutes late isn't so bad."

Kaname snorts, ignoring me. For a second, a totally homicidal second, I see red and want nothing more than his blood spilled all over my kunai. But I don't do anything—not yet, at least. He's literally the only person in this building to elicit so many strong emotions out of me, none of them good.

_Crap, calm down, Luki. There's a time and a place for everything, Luki. Keep calm and keep up the facade, Luki. Keep calm and keep up the facade... _

More time passes, the rest of the teams leave, and we're _still_ sitting at our little table. Heck, Iruka's even packing up to leave! Does he not notice three of his former students still waiting patiently? 'Cuz if so, no wonder he's still a Chūnin.

"...Do you think he forgot about us?" Sango abruptly asks.

"Of course not," I say with a grin. "Jeez, you guys are so cynical. Lighten up a bit!" But it's been more than a hour and even I'm getting just a bit irritated. How long is that silver-haired-man going to take? _Please_ don't tell me he forgot...

When I first heard that Hatake Kakashi was my Jōnin-sensei...I wasn't happy. He might be smart enough to see right through me, and I do _not_ need for someone—especially a Jōnin—to see me as I am.

"Well, I have some things to do...so I'll just leave you three here," Iruka suddenly tells us. "Words of advice, though: you might as well make yourself comfortable. Kakashi-san has a...very bad reputation for his punctuation. Chances are, you'll end up going home without even meeting him."

Kaname deflates at that, gritting his teeth. I bet something like a late sensei never even crossed his mind. It sure didn't cross mine—and I'm supposed to be the smart one!

"That's so stupid!" Kaname suddenly exclaims, slamming his hands on the table. "What kind of stupid man keeps his students waiting for over a hour?!"

"Hmm, you aren't perhaps talking about me, are you?"

The hair on the back of my neck stands straight up, a cold shiver running through my body. Beside me, Sango gasps, and Kaname jumps up from his chair, yelling "oh crap!"

I spin around, and I'm met with the face of a half-masked man. Hatake Kakashi—it's rare for someone _not_ to recognize this legendary shinobi.

Fit and relatively tall, Kakashi has spiky silver hair and his visible eye is basically black. His Jōnin flak jacket is dirty and worn, a sign of experience in this village. He wears a dark blue fabric over the lower half of his face, and his headband is tilted over his left eye, which carries the Sharingan. I wonder, can the Sharingan allow him to see me as I really am? The thought's scary enough that I bite the inside of my cheek.

He smiles, his visible eye crinkling. "Hello. If you don't know, I'm your sensei. Hatake—"

"We know who you are," Kaname interrupts, grunting. "What we _don't_ know is why you're so late."

Kakashi shrugs. "A black cat crossed my path, so..."

"Seriously?!"

For the first time, Sango gives our cocky teammate a sharp look. "That's a very serious thing, Kaname-kun. You shouldn't undermine bad luck." I raise a brow, as Kaname slowly gapes. That's strange. Can I manipulate her with that?

"You— You really _are_ an old lady." He turns away, his nose in the air. "Whatever. That still doesn't explain everything." For the first time, he's actually right. Kakashi's a Jōnin; I'm sure he could get here whenever he feels like it in the span of a few minutes—if that.

Sango's expression instantly softens. "It explains enough," she mutters, looking back at our sensei. "I understand now, Kakashi-sensei. Luck is a very important factor in our lives—and as a shinobi, luck can be the difference between life and death. No wonder you went the long way to get here."

"That's exactly right." Kakashi smiles again, and this time I sense more than just carefree-ness. "Things like that happen a lot to me, so I'm glad you understand that I may be typically be late."

I twitch. Even our sensei's using this newfound information to manipulate her. Wow.

Before Kaname can scream again, Kakashi starts talking again. "Anyway, it's raining outside right now, so let's stay in here instead of going to the roof—as I originally planned. Before working together, I think we need to get to know each other, right?"

Kaname snorts, crossing his arms. "Alright, Kakashi." He isn't even addressing our sensei properly. My nerves can't take much more of this guy. "But we've already explained ourselves to each other."

The silver-haired samurai stares at Kaname a bit longer than necessary, analyzing him, probably. That's what I'd be doing.

"But I don't know you yet," he finally speaks, slowly. "So can you stop saying whatever comes to your head and _think?_" Kaname gapes again; he's clearly not used to being talked back to. _If only I could lay it on him. _

_If only. _

Kakashi smiles. "But since you're obviously the most verbose in this group, why don't you go first? I'd like to know your name, likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams for the future...and yeah, things like that." He yawns, waving lazily. "Go on, start already."

...Maybe I was wrong about this man catching on to my ruse. He's pretty stupid, too.

Our black-haired teammate scoffs. "Whatever. I'm Hattori Kaname, soon to be best ninja in the village—if I'm not already. So remember it." ..._Stay calm, Luki. Don't say anything, Luki._ "I like dango, okonomiyaki, winning my battles, my siblings, going to the hot springs, the color red, proving my skills, and watching movies. I dislike _waiting_, exams, failure, people with bad intentions—" I smile. "—fish, cats, the color yellow, spicy foods, and when the apartment is messy."

Sango giggles. "That's so much, Kaname-kun."

He shrugs in response. "My hobbies include taking care of my siblings—though that's probably not even a hobby—visiting the hot springs, studying new ninja scrolls, soccer, and eating. My dream for the future..." A goofy grin settles on his usually serious face. "Um, it's to be better than I was yesterday..."

A short silence envelopes the classroom. Kaname gets a bit red in the face, scowling.

"Wh-What?" He demands. "Why're you all so quiet? Talk, dammit!"

Instead of talking, I laugh. An actually true laugh. "_Eating_ is a hobby now? Really?"

Somehow, he gets even redder—but I think it's from anger now. "Yeah, so _what?_"

Sango laughs this time. "Your dream is so weird, Kaname-kun. _Of course_ you're going to be better than you were yesterday. Unless, well... You get seriously hurt or die or something..."

"Moving away from Kaname's weirdness," Kakashi says, eliciting a shout from the boy. "Let's carry on. You can go now, girl."

My female teammate grins. "Okay! Well, I'm Himura Sango. I like cooking, purple roses, movies, getting new sets of kunai, reading manga, anything sweet—and you know that feeling you get when pushed to the extreme? Yeah, I like that too."

Sango is such a nice, caring girl. The ninja world will either make or break her. I'm not evil; I don't just manipulate others for the heck of it. No, I do it to get ahead—because that's the only way to survive in this cruel world.

It's the only way.

"I don't like natto, horror stories—anything related to the horror genre, actually—people that cause trouble, criminals, arrogant people—" Aha. The side-look she gives Kaname is _hilarious_. "—being bored, getting up early in the morning, and failure," she continues. "I already said I liked to cook, though—oh, but you can all expect me to bring lunches every day. Another one of my hobbies are sewing, painting my nails, going shopping with my friends, attending festivals, training, and reading.

"My dream is to become a good a healer, like Haruno Sakura-san. She's my idol, because she started out at zero but became one of the best healers in the world." Sango wants to be able to heal people? That's interesting, too. All of this information I'm getting is priceless.

Kakashi nods. "As you must know, I taught Sakura. I'm sure I could get you to meet her one day, if you'd like."

Sango's eyes go as big as sauces. "Really?!"

"Of course," our sensei says, eliciting a cheer from the girl beside me. "But anyway, we're getting off track again. Smiley-boy, you're next and last."

Haha. Smiley-boy. Real funny.

"My name is Kasami Luki," I say.

Should I keep the smile or not..? Hmm... I guess I'll keep it on. First impressions are very crucial. But then, what do I say? Getting all this information will be completely pointless if I give back...

I'll have to be vague. Hopefully my cheery attitude will divert Kakashi's attention.

"I like a lot of things, but I think I really like training," I say, beaming happily. _I also like getting people to obey me, but they don't need to know that. _"I dislike losing my battles, though—and being scolded." My weights I wear are the reason I lose. If I would go all out, well, let's just say I'd be faster and stronger than ever.

_There's something else I don't like, though. Something I hate more than anything. _I bristle, trying but failing to keep away the frown. _Konohagakure, the people that claim to be friendly and help everyone, and yet they're also the people that let my parents die inside the gate. If they would've helped my mother and father, they'd still be alive._

I'm not really the forgiving type, especially when it comes to my dead parents. They could've helped, but they chose not. They could've helped, but they sent my parents away. I'd be dead if they hadn't sacrificed everything, hadn't sacrificed their very lives.

"My hobbies include training," I say carefully, controlling my voice. "And my dream is to become a leader." Of course I'm only half-true. I want to be a leader, but not the kind of leader they're thinking of.

I want to create my own shinobi village and conquer every other village. Shh, don't say anything yet. First of all, I'm not crazy and I'm not evil. How can I live my life in the village that failed to protect it's citizens? I need to make my own—and by doing that, I'll start taking over.

The ninja world is full of death and strife and evil. Oppression lies in every corner of the world, but I'll be the one to stop that. I'll be in control of everything and everyone. That's my dream—and I damn swear I'll make it into a reality.

I damn _swear_.

* * *

**Kobayashi Noroi, Konoha Genin, 12**

Konohamaru-sensei explodes in a puff of smoke, leaving me alone with my two teammates. Jiro's looking at the ground, his hands clenched and his face deathly pale. Harumi has that confident smile still plastered on her pretty face, but it's obvious she's pretty shaken up.

And she has every right to be. Konohamaru-sensei just told us that we're taking some sort of exam tomorrow that'll determine whether we're actually ready to become ninja or not—meaning that Graduation Exam was pretty much pointless. And to make matters worse, he told us the odds of us actually passing are lower than 40%.

The rain pours down harshly. It's a perfect representation of how somber everything is. How depressing my pitiful existence actually is.

"Well," Harumi muses, killing the silence. "We can't let that bring us down. We're way more awesome that than those other teams. We can do this!"

Always happy, always positive. Sometimes, I wonder how two people could be so very, very different. Sometimes, I wonder how I would've turned out if I hadn't killed my mother.

Cheerful? Laughing? I doubt it; I'm the complete antithesis of those two words...

Jiro manages to smile at her. "Yeah... You're totally right. I can do this. _We_ can do this!"

"That's the spirit!"

They both laugh, poking and joking and doing things I've never done before. I don't understand how Harumi can turn something so disheartening into something so inspiriting. All I can think of is how everything I've worked so hard to obtain can come crashing down in the matter of a day. What will I be if not a ninja? What else can I do?

_Nothing. You're pitiful, pitiful, pitiful._

I'm useless at everything, good at nothing. I should've just died those twelve years ago. My mom would still be here, my family wouldn't be broken, and I wouldn't be alive to suffer through life's shit.

_Worthless, inutile, good-for-nothing. _

"Noroi-kun~!" Harumi's overly high voice reaches my ears, and then she glomps me. I tense; I'm not use to another person actually making contact with me. The only thing I that can guarantee contact is my blade, cutting and stabbing and slicing my skin— "Noroi-kun! You wanna walk me home? It's raining and dark and some pervert might try to..." She pauses, whispering in my ear. "_Do_ things to me."

I overheard my older sister talking about people like Harumi to her friends. Apparently, they aren't good people. _She's still a better person than you, _I hear my dad say, his voice laced with hate and malice.

"No, but thank you," I mumble, gently pushing her off me. I pull my red hood over my hair and walk out into the rain, not even bothering to turn around and see Harumi's expression. She's clingy, obsessive—and I don't know how to deal with those people. I don't know how to deal with anybody, really.

Suddenly, an arm wraps around the back of my neck. I turn my head, and I'm only mildly shocked to see Jiro. He smiles, water running through his hair and down his face. I wish I could be someone like Jiro—someone with an actual purpose in this world, someone with a good life, someone not obsolete like me...

"Really, Jiro-kun?!" Harumi shouts from behind us, and she sounds angry. She doesn't follow us, though. Probably because the rain will mess up her perfect hair.

Jiro snorts, rolling his eyes. "Sorry about Harumi. She's just...very, very crazy sometimes. You'll get use to it, though."

"Not if we don't pass that test tomorrow."

My abominable attitude doesn't even faze him. "Yeah... But I think we'll pass. We have to, right? We can't let six years of our life go down the drain, right?"

Six years of my life. Six years of being ignored by my family, six years of cutting myself, six years of killing people.

"In the end, it's all still a waste," I say, brushing out of his hold. "We die...and everything we did won't even matter." But for some people—people like me—the things we do while still alive are even more pointless.

_Unimportant. A waste of air. I should just die._

"Hey." Jiro grabs my shoulder, spinning me around to face him. His eyes hold compassion that only privileged, lucky people like him can have. My eyes are dead, killed by life's cruel hammer of fate. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

_Yes, many things. More things than I can even count. _

"No." Telling him anything won't help. He'll recoil in horror at what I have to say.

"Are you sure?" He sounds so concerned. He's obsessive like Harumi—maybe even more. "We're teammates, okay? Just say it and I'll do it."

"Then let me go home," I mumble, turning around and quickly walking away. I can't connect with them; I won't connect with them.

I continue walking through the almost deserted Konoha streets. There are people with umbrellas still walking, and there are even more people taking shelter under various food booths. None of them pay me any mind, though, so I keep walking.

...Or rather, _almost_ none of them pay me any mind. Before I even know what's going on, I'm pushed to the cold wet ground and stepped on. I don't even register the pain; I just register how numb everything feels—my body, my anger, my existence.

"You're just a curse," the civilian man spits, leering at me from above. "Hitomi-san didn't deserve to die the way she did. She should've just aborted you, and this village would've never had to deal with you."

_He's right. _

_If only she aborted me. _

_Everything would be so much better. _

_It's not like I asked to be here, though. _

_I didn't ask. _

Everything happens so fast. The blood stored in my hoodie shoots out, fiercely attacking the man. His screams are cut extremely short as my blood hits his face, hardening on impact and making his voice practically non-existent. Then, the rest of my blood wraps around his body, tying him up. He falls to the ground and thrashes—but he's no match for my blood's strength.

My hoodie is white now. My blood was the only thing that kept it redanyone can see, I grab the man's body and jump in the alleyway. He continues thrashing—but now he's also crying, crying because he knows I'm going to kill him just like how I've killed the numerous others.

It's the one thing I'm not useless at. It's the one area I truly shine in.

I take out a kunai, but I don't stab him with it. No, I prick my finger with it, and the blood comes flowing out on command. It's extremely simple to control—just use a bit of chakra and there's nothing I can't do. After a tedious amount of time later, a blood red cleaver is in my hands. The man sees this and thrashes even harder, cries even harder—and I can't help but stare.

_It's cutting time. _

I stab, he screams. I slash, he screams. I cut away at his skin meticulously; I'm curious yet apathetic at the same time. I've done this all before, many times before—but I don't think it gets old. Maybe a bit repetitive, but not old.

The man's given up fighting. Whatever happens, he'll be dead in a few minutes. By me or by the massive blood loss. I've cut off both his legs, all of his fingers...and now my cleaver's at his neck.

_They say that blood is thicker than water. _

I press down—hard.

_But that's not true. That's the biggest lie I've ever heard. _

I stop the pressure, raising my weapon for the death blow.

_If it was true, I wouldn't be like this. This wouldn't be happening._

And the guillotine drops.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ehehe, I should've updated last week...but real life is torturing me with a cleaver xD I regret nooothiiiiing**

**But seriously, school is hectic and other things are constantly popping up. I'll try my hardest to continue writing, though! ^_^**

**Anyway, I like how I made the chapter child-like and happy at first...and then ended it off with this. I tried to make the character's history a bit vague this time, so yeah, you won't get bored of them probably. I hope not. 0_o Oh yeah, I know I used the manga description of Anko. Black hair with a blue tint would just look awesome on her xD**

**Ahem. Anyway, yeah. Shizuna's flighty. Harumi's playful. Luki's manipulative. And Noroi's a serial killer. What a nice little group we have here xD**

**So! Thanks everyone that's reviewin' and stuff! I really appreciate that! This is so fun to write! ^_^**

* * *

**Question: **_**Favorite P.O.V? Favorite character overall so far? **_**Tell me in the reviews, yo!**


	5. Pre-Survival Exams

**The Next Generation**

_Pre-Survival Exams_

* * *

"_In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure."_ — **Bill Cosby**

* * *

**Yamamoto Kenta, Konoha Genin, 12**

My little brother getting ready for school is what wakes me up—not the alarm clock, but the noise he makes when he does all the mundane morning rituals. And yeah, not the academy, but _school_. Like, regular school for regular people that don't have any intention to become ninja.

Yet another thing that puts the Yamamoto name to shame.

I sit up in my bed and glance at the clock. 7:30 AM. There's a bit of light coming in through my window curtains, but other than that it's pitch dark. I'm about to get up and get ready for the academy, but then I see the metallic glow of the forehead protector, resting on my bed by my legs.

The forehead protector...

_...My_ forehead protector.

It takes me a moment to fully process everything: _I graduated yesterday, I was put in that dumb Squad Nine, but I'm a ninja now, a true ninja, a ninja that's ready to regain honor to the Yamamoto clan. _

My clan was once revered as masters of Taijutsu; their size, strength, and stamina were legendary. But since my great grandfather Isamu, we've only produced a handful of mediocre shinobi, typically pulling only low rank missions and guard duty.

I won't let some stupid _Squad Nine Curse_ destroy my dream. If I die, no-one will acknowledge my clan's talents. We'll be the laughingstock of the village, even more idiotic than the _Nekomata_ clan. I won't, _can't_ let that happen.

"B-Big brother," a voice practically whimpers, and my door slightly opens. My little brother, Saburo, stares at me with wide innocent eyes. He's ten, but he acts like he's _five_. "U-Um... I just...wanted to tell you...g-good luck today...on that, um, t-test..."

That test. _What test? _And then more memories of yesterday come back. Anko-sensei told us to be at the training grounds at exactly 12:00. Apparently, before we can become official shinobi, she has to test us. She practically _giggled_ on how fun it'd be—for her, definitely not for us.

I grunt, turning away from him. "Whatever. Get out and close my door." There's nothing I hate more than when I'm trying to go back to sleep and there's a _light_ on. It pisses me _all_ the way off.

He doesn't move, and I know this because I don't hear him and my door is _still_ open. I'm about to sit up and yell at him, but suddenly, his meek voice cuts through the silence.

"I have a t-test today, too," he mumbles. "I-It's 25% of my grade—"

"I don't _care_ about your stupid grades!" I shout, sitting up and glaring at him. He flinches, steps back a little—but I'm not done. There's too much anger, resentment piled up inside. "I don't care that you have a test, because all those tests are just bringing more shame to this stupid clan! You should've been a ninja—like everyone fucking else in this family! Oh, scratch that, everyone _important!_"

"K-K-Kenta—"

"Even if you _were_ a ninja, you probably wouldn't even be any real help! You'd be just as bad as Kyo and Shig—just as useless! If you aren't helping this clan, then you're _useless!_" In the blink of an eye, I'm out of my bed and stomping towards him. The rational side of myself wants to stop, but the crazed, angry, _embarrassed_ side of myself just wants him **gone**. "GET OUT OF MY ROOM NOW!"

I shove him with all the strength I can muster, and then I slam the door. I don't care if I woke everyone up. I don't care if I made him cry. I just don't care. They don't care about building this clan back up from the ashes, so why should I care?

_I shouldn't. I don't. _

With those thoughts in my head, I get back in my bed and close my eyes, my forehead protector clenched tightly in my hands…

...

I wake back up a few hours later—and I know it's a few hours later because my alarm is blaring and sunlight from the window hits me square in the face. I turn my face away from the light and slam my hands down onto the clock.

_Stupid, irritating alarm..._

I sit up in bed and stretch, loosening all my stiff muscles and yawning. Rubbing my eyes, I glance at the clock. 10:31 AM. It's time I get out of bed. Anko-sensei made it clear that tardiness was _not_ acceptable. If we weren't on time, she said we'd be immediately cut off the team.

I'm not letting something like _punctuality_ ruin my dream. Besides, I also don't like to be kept waiting.

I get out the bed and immediately head to the bathroom, peeing and showering and doing everything else people do in the mornings. After that, I walk back into my room, and in the corner of my eye I see myself in the mirror. My shaggy hair sticks to my head, wet from the shower, and my towel hangs around my waist. I'm big and muscly—my mom said I could easily pass for a fifteen-year-old—but I also have a bit of baby fat as well.

Another embarrassment that I can't get rid of...

I open my closet door and take out my clothes for today; a gray tank top, a padded dark green vest, dark gray shorts, and the usual blue ninja sandals. Turning around, I see my forehead protector still lying on my bed. To me, that headband is more than just telling what village I'm from. It's a declaration of my strength, a declaration that my clan will regain the power they once had.

_My family might not care, but I do. I care, and I'll make damn sure it happens. _

"Of course, I'll have to put up with my two stupid teammates before then," I mumble, tying the headband around my right bicep. I don't care about many people—_especially_ my classmates—so I knew I wouldn't approve of my team. But I never expected to be put on Team Nine, and I didn't expect to be with Yukimi and Taido.

They don't like me, that's for certain. Taido won't even look me in the eye—I probably bullied him before, but I don't know for certain—while Yukimi just gives me that patronizing stare.

I still remember the first thing Yukimi said to me. It was a few years back, when I was still..._rough_ with people.

_"The way you treat everyone is disgusting. Stopping would be the smartest thing to do," _she said, and I remember it so clearly because...well, she was one of the first people to stand up to me. Her words didn't do anything but make me mad, though; it's not like _she's_ the reason I stopped.

I look at the mirror once more. Personally, I hardly care how I look to other people—but they might link my indifference to the whole clan, and I can't have that. Moving a piece of hair out of my eyes, I turn away. I look alright, I guess.

I walk outside my room into the hallway, and I'm instantly met with my older sister's yawning face. She's scrawny, weak, pathetic—another stupid embarrassment that should just...go _away_.

"I can't _believe_ I slept in," Kyo mutters to herself, walking past me without batting an eye. "Damn, I think I have a mission today, too. Hokage-sama's going to kill me..."

Anger flares through my chest. _Late?_ Keeping the _Hokage_ waiting? "You're the reason people see us as nothing!" I blurt out, glaring. She turns to me and gives me an almost blank stare.

"Oh. Kenta-kun. G'morning to you also."

"Don't piss me off!"

"What? Piss you off?" She tilts her head, and I realize with growing irritation that we're more or less the same height. I can't intimidate her like how I do Saburo. "Excuse me if I'm wrong, _little bro_, but _you_ walked up to _me_."

"Don't call me _little_."

"Or what?" She smirks, and I can tell by the way she's tapping her foot that she's getting as irritated as me. She's feisty—but still weak, still an embarrassment. "I'm not the little runts you bully at school. Don't think you can boss me around, because newsflash, I'm four years your senior, and I can kick your ass right now if you wanna go."

I almost shove her to the ground—but somehow, this time, I control myself. "You may be my senior, but you're still just a Chūnin. That's so pathetic!"

"What's _pathetic_ is your sick obsession with _gaining honor_, or whatever nonsense you say nowadays," she counters, grabbing my collar. "And you know what else is pathetic? It's _pathetic_ how you treat your siblings, making them cry when all they're trying to do is wish you luck. It's _pathetic_ that you bully other kids because of how inferior you truly feel inside. And it's _pathetic_ that you have zero social life—no friends, girlfriends, nothing! So while I may seem _weak_ to you, you're just a sad little loser to me."

I can't take anymore; I can't take anymore of her belittling me. With a cry of anger, I grab her arm and twist as hard as I can. She yelps in surprise, in _pain_. Kyo tries to kick me—but I'm better than her at Taijutsu; I'm better than my whole class at Taijutsu. I jump over her leg and violently pull her arm, throwing her into the wall.

My mother runs into the hallway, baffled and distressed at the noise. When she sees what's happening, Kyo is getting up from the floor, a look of hatred on her tanned face.

"What is going on here?!" My mother demands, rushing over to my side. Always caring for me, always spoiling me. Even when she got a call from Iruka-sensei about my behavior, she seemed more disappointed than mad. Never, ever mad.

Kyo points a finger at me, her other hand curling into a fist. "This stupid boy thinks he can just pick a fight with me! I'm about to beat his stuck-up ass!"

Usually, my mother would scold her on her language, but not today. She turns to me, looking befuddled.

"Is this true, Kenta-kun?" She asks. When I don't respond, her brows furrow. "Why are you acting up all of a sudden? Just this morning, you screamed at Saburo-kun. And now you're fighting with Kyo-chan? What's gotten into you?"

I want to snort at her questions—but she's right. _What's gotten into me? _I'm supposed to have chilled down a bit... I'm supposed to have stopped my bullying, stopped my attitude... I'm supposed to exhibit strength as a character.

_That's what that stupid turtle said, but I don't even understand what it meant. Why the hell am I even taking it seriously in the first place?_

I turn away from my family, staring at the wooden floor. Good thing my older brother, Shig, isn't here right now. If he was, we'd definitely have gotten into a fight—and then my dad would've gotten involved, and I do not have the time nor patience for _him_. _Especially_ him.

I start walking away from them. I need to go. I need to go _now_.

"Hey! What the hell?! Don't just walk away like that!" Kyo screams. "You know what? I hope you _fail!_ People like you don't deserve to be shinobi!"

_One last remark. Just one last word in. _

I turn around and sneer at her. "If I fail, I'd be just like you. And heaven forbid something like that happens. Because without me, this clan has no hope. No hope at all."

_So I won't fail. Because whatever my sensei throws at me, I'll be ready._

_I'll be ready. For my clan._

* * *

**Katsura Yukimi, Konoha Genin, 12**

Harumi and I walk down the dirt roads of Konoha, sunlight streaming down on my pale skin. Civilians smile and wave at me, but I just keep walking, ignoring them all. I have no reason nor time to humor them with false smiles and unnecessary waves.

Harumi, however, brightens up at the attention. She grins, she waves, she greets people. It's in her nature to do so, just like it's in my nature to crack open a book and avoid people. Well, not really avoid...more like I just don't _care_ to be around them. What's the point?

If they aren't facilitating me—furthering _my_ dream—then what's the point?

What's the point?

"Hey, why don't you smile and wave at them for once?" Harumi asks, nudging my arm. Her smile is so blinding, so pretty; boys would never forget someone like her, nobody would.

_And that's why I secretly hate her smile, her body, her personality. I loathe it with every fiber of my being. _

"There's no point in humoring them, Harumi," I respond, shoving my emotions behind a cool, uncaring facade. I have to do that often—because emotions are easy to manipulate, easy to break, easy to chew and spit out like a stick of gum. I won't, _can't_ let that happen to me.

Her smile doesn't break, but her pretty green eyes reveal the confusion hiding inside.

"I thought I told you already," I mumble, taking a thick book out of my bag and cracking it open. I might as well read since all I'm doing is walking. "The civilians are starting to hate ninja. They put on their faux smiles and greet us—thinking we're all stupid barbarians, thinking there's no way we'd actually be able to see through their scholar-made masks. I guess that's true for you."

She laughs at my harmless insult, shoving me. If I was her stupid male friend, I'd laugh and shove her back—but I'm not Jiro; I'm her emotionless sister, her introverted sister, her...forgettable sister. _Why?_

Regaining my bearings, I give my sister a half-assed glare. "_Anyway_, I'm not going to give them the satisfaction—however false it may be—that they're smarter than me. So by waving at them, you're just proving how idiotic you truly are, Harumi."

She pouts, crossing her arms and looking away. With her back in check, I look back down to my book, titled "_Rules, Tips, and Tricks to being a Shinobi._" Of course, there's no _tricks_ to being a shinobi, but the title is used so idiotic people might find interest in it.

"Why do you think the villagers hate us?" My sister suddenly asks, her tone lowered, her face uncharacteristically serious. Harumi's usually a carefree soul—but when she _does_ get serious, she's strangely efficient. It's one of the sides I actually like about my sister.

_But if someone like me can admire it, then of course other people can...and that's why I hate that side of her, too. Because it's not fair. It's not fair..._

"It's all about money and power in this world," I start to explain. "It's obvious the civilians don't like us as far as they can throw us. It may not seem like it, but we have an extreme amount of power over them. There are shinobi that can honestly destroy half of this village with their Ninjutsu—and what can the civilian people do? Not much. If we wanted to, we could slaughter them—and what could they do to people with the ability to breathe fire and bend water? They're scared of that. And scared people are dangerous people."

I know what I'm hinting at, and Harumi does, too. Her eyes widen...and then they narrow into slits. "What are you trying to say, Yukimi?"

"A lot of things," I respond, sneering at a particularly slimy-looking civilian. "But there's more. The second reason the civilians are angry is because, even though they have so much of a disadvantage over us, they still have to pay taxes for our services."

"Our...services to protect the village?"

"Yes. They're angry that we have the power over them, and they're angry that we're taking their money—and there's really nothing they can do about it. That's why they're starting to hate us," I explain. "And considering there hasn't been an attack on Konoha in over ten years, they're starting to wonder why they're even paying us at all. They don't like wasting their precious money. Money is the only thing those stupid villagers have. Losing it... They _hate_ that."

"...So much that a civil war—"

"Yeah," I interrupt, quickly slamming doors before they can open. Who knows what kind of person could be listening to us? Talking about this during broad daylight is _extremely_ stupid. "Don't say something so idiotic, Harumi. One more word and a kunai might've accidentally wound up in your eye."

She shivers at my cynical demeanor. "You always expect the worst to happen," Harumi says. I don't reply; I just continue reading.

_She's right. I always expect the worst, because it helps deal with the pain when things don't go the way it should. I'm thinking logically; I'm thinking the way everyone should. _

Before I know it, Harumi and I make it to the training grounds. I don't know why, but it seems like Harumi's sensei told her to come to the same place Anko-sensei told us to come: Training Grounds Number Nine. The unluckiest training grounds in Konoha, they say. Forgotten traps lie in wait to tear anyone—even the _Hokage_—to shreds. Rabid animals roam the vast, maze-like forest. Hell, one ninja was found dead in the inky-black lake. The cause? No-one even knows.

Of course, that ninja was in Squad Nine. Just like me. _Fuck my life..._

"We're here," Harumi whispers, a shaky smile on her face that boys would find adorable. They'd never forget that. _But they'd forget me. Of course they'd forget me. Of course..._

"Make sure to watch where you step," I warn her, taking the lead. I may look calm and collected on the outside, but I'm a bunch of nerves on the inside. I could _die_. I know that every shinobi has a high chance of dying...but I still don't want to die. Not yet. Not while no-one would even remember me...

_I can't be the bad twin..._

Up ahead, Taido's sitting on the ground, his knees up to his chest. He looks anxious—about more reasons than one, I know. The upcoming test...the fear of dying a horrific death... The fear is clinging to me also, forcing me to put on my mask, forcing every suspicious thought in my mind to go haywire.

Even though he's lazy, pretty useless so far, and scared of his own shadow...I still can't help but not be annoyed by him. 'Cuz besides, he has a pretty damn good reason to be. The second reason is that...his clan is composed of cats and cat people...and I like cats.

Yeah, if anyone found out, they'd probably choke on their spit.

Right beside Taido is my other, more brooding teammate: Yamamoto Kenta. He's scowling, but no-one can miss the sweat running down his face. Even someone like him—someone that should just die in a fire—is scared. It's funny, the emotions simple things like tests can do to you.

They aren't the only ones here, though. Standing a few feet away from my team is Harumi's team. Team Eight. Jiro grins and waves at us—and once again, I ignore the greeting while my sister sucks it all up. I don't know why her team is here, but I know it can't be a good reason.

The only thing I can think of is us six fighting, and the last team standing are then Genin of Konoha. _Then I'll be able to kick Harumi out of the running. She'll fail, and she'll be the bad twin, the forgotten twin. _

_But I don't want that to happen. I honestly don't want it to come to that. _

Noroi stays quiet, preferring to look at the lake while eating some type of chips. Truthfully, I feel bad for Noroi. The others may be idiots, but _I_ know his type, his problem. He doesn't wear anything but a long-sleeved hoodie and long-sleeved pants, every single day. Even when it's about 100° outside, he's _still_ not showing skin. It's so obvious that he cuts himself, that he's depressed. It's sad, but there's nothing I can really do for him.

Talking about someone else's problem is easy, because it's not _your_ problem. Anything I say to him would be bias and untrustworthy, which is why I'll just keep my mouth shut and let his sensei deal with it.

What's the point of getting involved anyway?

"So," Harumi starts, smiling her signature sunny smile. "What did you guys' sensei say? Konohamaru-sensei just told us we'd be having some sort of exam that'd determine whether we stay Genin or not."

"Uh, no shit," I butt in before Jiro can add his two cents. Everyone's eyes are on me, and while I may not be as captivating as Harumi, I know how to get people's attention in different ways. _Smarter_ ways. "The real question is...why are we all together? Any thoughts?"

Kenta shrugs, Noroi continues eating, Jiro smiles hopelessly, and Harumi just stares at me. Taido, however, looks up from the ground and says, "Maybe our exam's gonna be together?"

"That's a stupid thought," I remark, leading him to the right track, no matter how blunt I may be about it. Being kind only takes you so far in this cruel world. "You saw how our sensei was yesterday. Working with another team would be too nice. And Anko-sensei seemed like the antithesis of nice."

"But Konohamaru-sensei _is_ nice, though," Jiro says, and I roll my eyes. _Yeah, nice until he leads you to an alley and stabs you in the chest_. "He seems like the type to do something like this. Maybe he convinced your sensei?" He grins—a kind, gullible grin that'll crumble in the ninja world. "And come on, your sensei didn't seem _that_ bad yesterday."

Taido looks up again. "She _is_, dude."

Jiro shakes his head, persistent on finding the good in our maniac sensei. "Nah, you guys just met her. After today, when you pass this test, I bet she'll be as nice as can be."

I raise a brow, crossing my arms. _How naïve is this guy? He's definitely the type Harumi would have fun with—manipulating him, I mean._

_...And maybe I can, too. _

"How about a friendly wager, then?" I ask, smirking, putting chakra into my voice. _Just enough to influence his decision. Just enough for him to at least think about it. _

He raises a brow, even as the almost invisible chakra goes through his nose into his body. "A wager? But...why..?"

_Crap. Not enough. I need more chakra, more chakra, just enough chakra..!_

"Because," I reply, deeply concentrating while also trying to look casual. It's hard work—but hard work brings good rewards with it, so I just need to _concentrate_. "It's fun. People do it all the time. Besides, it'll past the time waiting for them."

Harumi would sweeten the deal with a seductive smile, or by touching them tenderly—hell, I wouldn't put it past her to "accidentally" show a bit of her chest. It makes her look like a shameless slut, but it works—more on guys than on girls, obviously. The Nadeshiko clan has this very helpful Kekkei Genkai that allows us to influence a person's decisions just by the sound of our voice. The effects are more powerful on people of the opposite sex, but that doesn't mean I can't do the same to girls. I _can_. Well, probably not, considering both Harumi and I aren't the most experienced at it yet...

Which is why it's so hard to get it to work on Jiro. _Especially because your sexual appeal is second to Harumi. It'll always be. She'll always win things like this. _

But that doesn't mean I can't have the upper-hand sometimes. I can; I _know_ I can. Which is why I won't give up. I may be the cold, sarcastic sister that'd rather read than hang out with friends...

...But that doesn't mean I'll be the bad twin.

That doesn't mean I have to live in the shadows.

I glance at Harumi, and she's staring at me, an almost approving look in her green eyes. She knows exactly what I'm doing, and she's waiting, waiting to see if it'll work or not.

_Sorry, but I won't be the forgotten one. _

And suddenly, my sister smiles at me.

_...But sometimes, I don't want you to be forgotten either. _

In this cruel world, everything has a catch. I've learned that since I was young, and I'm still learning it now.

* * *

**Aburame Shiina, Konoha Genin, 12**

_This is intriguing. _I stare at both Squad Eight and Nine, listening to their conversation atop a tree branch. The fact that they haven't descried me yet says something about each and every one of them. I'm good at this—I'd even call it a hobby—but Genin should at least know when someone's eavesdropping.

"...Uh, no shit." Yukimi deadpans at her sister's statement. My friend is as delightful as ever, I see. She straightens herself out in front of everyone, and then gives them all a haughty smile. "The real question is...why are we all together? Any thoughts?"

A congenial question, indeed. Why would every squad be told to come here? I'm sure the Jōnin-sensei's planned everything together so as not to overlap...

The only logical thing I can think of is that we're all taking the test together, exactly as Taido suggests. And then he's instantly shot down by Yukimi, who says something about their sensei being too frenetic.

_You're always so cynical, Yukimi. Even though it's the right, logical way to think...there's something socially wrong about it. _

_But why?_

I think about that question for awhile, simultaneously watching as Yukimi challenges Jiro to a friendly wager. A wager he accedes to.

_That ignoramus. _

Yukimi does not take her bets lightly. She puts her money on a pedestal far higher than it should be, far higher than she lets others believe; I can tell by the way she stares at it, by the way her lips quirk up into a tiny smile.

It's effortless for me to read things. Books, codes, _people_. Body language tells a lot—that's shinobi common sense—but what people don't usually do is watch for the changes in a person's voice. That tells more. More than you can conceptualize.

Yukimi's voice grows just a bit higher—just a bit peppier—whenever she gains money. It's so subtle that nobody notices a single thing; the only thing they realize is that they were just bereaved an abundance of money on a bet they shouldn't have even humored.

As for Jiro, his voice always wavers a bit whenever Sango's talking to him. The popular, friendly, all-around cool guy gets flustered whenever Sango speaks to him, smiles at him, laughs with him. He _likes_ her. And sometimes, I think she's the only one who doesn't notice it.

And Taido automatically falls silent whenever a subject about family comes up. I can't count—well, actually, I _can _count—how many times he gave a vague description of his family whenever Iruka-sensei asked. It's sad, really, when you realize that everyone has problems, everyone has their hidden skeletons. They all give themselves up when it comes to how they talk during certain situations.

But there's more to it than that. Not everyone can flounder the exact same way. Then it'd be too easy, too simple to figure out everyone's little secrets.

Take Kenta, for example. Hardly ever talks—but when he spars, he makes sure to do it brutally, and while everyone's watching. It's like he's trying to corroborate something. Ironic how a bully can be so _calculating_.

And then there's Noroi. Very reticent, very introverted. And very, very despondent. He never shows any skin—even during summer—so it's pretty safe to assume that he cuts himself. A _lot_, since he doesn't show his legs either.

_Ridiculous. _I just don't see the point in harming yourself when something isn't going your way.

I should feel worried about that, _sad_ even. My classmate, my colleague, my _peer_ is suicidal—and yet, it's like I don't care at all. Like it doesn't even faze me. _Should it faze me? It should, shouldn't it? Why don't I care more?_

_Why?_

I blink, willing my mind to get off the subject. Sometimes, I get frustrated with myself. I feel emotions—everyone does—but it's like I don't feel them enough. I don't remember the last time I cried; I don't even remember the last time I've raised my voice.

And because of my lack of empathy, I hardly care that I don't. _Crying gets you nowhere. Raising your voice is the same as losing your cool, and losing your cool will get you dispatched on the battlefield. _

That's just how it is for me: _Think logically, and you won't fail. Think logically, and your chance of survival goes up._

Everything is drab and monotonous—rules after rules, day after day. Maybe it's the culture of my clan that makes me the way I am, or maybe it's something else altogether? I don't know.

"Oh, hi!" Harumi greets, almost awkwardly, as Hotaru suddenly walks up to them. "Sorry, but we didn't really talk in the academy, did we? You're Maekawa Hotaru, right?"

My teammate nods, silent but observing. _She's just like me in that regard. But unlike me, there's more to her character. I just know it. _Behind Hotaru's poker-face, there's a confused glint in her light brown eyes. She has no idea what's going on—and since our sensei isn't here, I don't blame her.

"Am I in the right training grounds?" She asks, causing Harumi and Jiro to snicker a bit. Hotaru doesn't find anything amusing, it seems, because then she asks, "What's funny?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing," Harumi responds in-between laughs. "It's really nothing. Just a little inside-joke."

She doesn't get that, either. "Inside-joke?"

"...It's nothing. Really, it's nothing at all..."

"But to answer your question," Jiro cuts in, always eager to help someone out. I've noticed that about him. Apparently, his clan specializes in Medical Ninjutsu, which suits him almost perfectly. "I doubt you're wrong. You meant to come to Training Ground Nine, right?" Hotaru nods. "Yeah, so apparently our sensei's decided to group our test together—oh, but you _are_ having a test today, right?" She nods again. "Oh, okay, that's good then. Well, actually it's not so good considering there's a chance we could all fail...but..."

"Just shut up. You're explaining things way too slow," Yukimi snaps, crossing her arms. She then turns to Hotaru. "Just know that we're having our exam together. So just wait here until all of our sensei come."

To a regular person, Yukimi's demanding attitude would set them off. But to Hotaru, she just nods...and then looks up at me. For a second, I'm frozen in place, startled that it took her under a minute to realize I was here.

And then that second passes, and I nod a greeting to her, and she does the same.

_Compared to everyone else, I couldn't have asked for a better, more beneficial teammate. _

I take this time to study everyone. Kenta is the tallest out of all of us, and he's easily the most muscular. He has shaggy, shoulder-length black hair, and his bangs partially cover his black eyes. He's adorned in a gray tank top, a forest green vest, dark gray shorts, and the standard blue ninja sandals. His forehead protector's also tied around his bicep, just like mine. Right now, he's scowling, visibly displeased about this whole ordeal.

Yukimi isn't looking very pleased either. She has pale, doll-like skin, and her eyes are an emerald green. Her hair is jet black with dark blue highlights, thin and long, with a fringe covering half her left eye. Her body is very much like her sister's—thin, curvy, an eye-opener—but her chest is extremely underdeveloped compared to Harumi. Yukimi's forehead protector is wrapped around her neck—which can be seen as a fear of having her throat sliced. Everything is done for a reason. She's wearing a dark blue sleeveless crop top and standard black shinobi pants, as well as a black slip of shoes. Attached to her back is a pouch containing two short swords.

Unlike his two exasperated teammates, Taido just looks petrified. I do have to wonder why Iruka-sensei—or the Hokage, _whoever_ did it—put someone like him on a cursed team. They must realize that he's not going to be at his best with death lingering behind his shoulders. He's _scared_; there's no doubt in my mind that he's going to fail. Taido has messy red hair and yellow, cat-like eyes. He's just a bit tan, and his headband is also around his neck. Unlike Yukimi, though, he probably just tied it there because he was too lazy to put it around his forehead. He's wearing a baggy white shirt with a black t-shirt underneath, dark blue jeans, and shinobi sandals.

With the Squad Nine trio out of the way, I focus my attention on Squad Eight.

Noroi's finished with his first bag of chips...and now he's on his second. Wow. He looks calm, but he jumps a little whenever someone looks at him, and he makes sure to never make eye contact. A sure sign of shyness, but it's also a sign of being guilty. _But what would he have to be guilty for? Except for the obvious, of course. _His hair is short and dirty blond, while his face is pale yet pink—like he's blushing but not at the same time. His eyes are a weird shade of orange, with a tint of blue mixed in. Right now, he's wearing his signature red hoodie and black jeans. _What would he do, I wonder, if I exposed him in front of everyone? _

_But why would I do that? Why won't I just help him?_

Harumi and Jiro have suddenly started a conversation, it looks like. It's about something nonsensical, I assure you. Unlike the other people around her, Harumi looks cheerful, appeased. Her hair is a golden yellow, waist-length and wavy. There's a fringe covering one of her eyes, and two strands hanging in front of her face. Purposely put there, obviously. She has jade green eyes and very thick and long eyelashes, fair skin, and her lips are softly coated with pink lipstick. Her height is petite like her sister's, but her body and chest are on a whole different level. More people would believe she's a _model_ than a shinobi. She's dressed in a black slip-on, raspberry red Capri pants, and a matching blouse with sleeves that goes just past her elbows.

"Really?" Jiro laughs, shoving Harumi away. "You can't honestly believe that! I know Iruka-sensei's been single all his life, but that doesn't mean he's gay! He's...just a permanent bachelor. Yeah, that's it."

Harumi snickers. "More like a celibate."

...See, I _told_ you their conversation was moronic.

Jiro has shoulder-length, chocolate brown hair, and his eyes are a darker brown. He has medium-toned skin and a circular birthmark on his left cheek. Jiro's figure is a bit scrawny, though, and he's just a bit shorter than me. He's wearing dark brown pants and a t-shirt, with a beige vest overtop. Some girls may call him cute—but I just don't see it. I don't see the appeal in another person's looks at all, really.

_And now to my teammate. Maekawa Hotaru_. Her name means firefly/lightning bug; I would know, considering I'm apart of the Aburame clan. It's really interesting how little coincidences like that can happen. Hotaru is a petite girl with fair skin. Her black hair is in a bun held in place by two wide and flattish wooden hair pins. The tips of those hair pins are gold and have an intricate vine pattern on them. Her side bangs stop right above her left eye and curl outwards, while two stray pieces of hair frame her face. Her eyes are a light brown and have a wide look to them, despite how inexpressive she is.

Today, though, her outfit is different. I've actually never seen her wear this before: she has on a dark grey shirt that shows off her shoulders, and loose sleeves that reach her knuckles. Her shorts are black, just like her standard shinobi sandals. I don't know what she's trying to do, wearing something so different, but it's caught my interest. _Why has she never worn that before? Is it simply because she never wanted to, or could it be something more?_

As I think, I realize it's pretty peaceful right now. Just us; Harumi and Jiro chatting, the rest silent, and me just observing everything from this tree.

...I'm actually delighted.

And suddenly, like a bomb, the peace is disturbed. Detached from the corporal plane and flying elsewhere.

_...Detached. _

_Just like me. _

_But am I really? _

I raise my hand, pointing out a finger. And automatically, one of my parasitic insects fly on top, buzzing quietly. I enjoy their company, more than I do the company of humans. _Is this why I can't sympathize with others?_

_And if not..._

_Then why?_

* * *

**Himura Sango, Konoha Genin, 12**

"Hey! What're you guys doing here?!" Kaname questions, puffing out his chest, trying to look intimidating. I don't like arrogant people, but Kaname is my teammate, and he's pretty nice once you get over that fatal flaw.

In front of Kaname, Luki, and I are both Teams Eight and Nine. Oh, and Hotaru, too. I wonder where her team is? Actually, why are any of them here in the first place? Are they taking the test here, too?

Yukimi sneers. "We should be asking you the same thing, _Hattori_. And for goodness' sake, _shut up._ It was pretty quiet before you arrived."

Yukimi isn't very nice, but she's Harumi's sister, and Harumi is one of my closest friends. I don't dislike Yukimi, but I won't approve of her rudeness._Yet Kaname-kun was pretty rude as well, so whatever, just forget about it. _

Kaname glares at Yukimi, and she glares right back, not backing down. At first, Kaname would be surprised when people talked back to him. But now, I guess he's learning to deal with the fact that everyone won't let him get his way...sorta.

"Sango-chan!" Harumi suddenly squeals, rushing over and hugging me. "I'm so glad you made it! For a minute, I thought you weren't gonna show up." I laugh, and she lets go of me, grinning brightly. "But my worries were for naught, thankfully. If you hadn't shown, I would've had to stop Jiro-kun from crying..."

"_**WH-WHAT?!**_" Jiro screams, his face red—and I laugh some more. "Wh-What are you talking about? Why would I cry?"

Harumi looks at him questioningly for a moment. "Are you seriously asking me, or..?"

"Just shut up, _please_." He groans, burying his face in his hands. Harumi pokes him, snickering, and I laugh along with her. Jiro's so weird—but it's a nice kind of weird.

I hate how I forgot how _fun_ it was hanging out with these two. Harumi and Jiro were my two best friends. The fact that we're on different teams shouldn't matter at all! They could be from Iwagakure and I'd _still_ love them! I'd do anything for my friends...

"What _are_ you doing here, though?" I ask curiously, tilting my head. In the corner of my eye, I see Kaname arguing with Yukimi, and Luki talking to Noroi for some reason. I didn't know they were friends...

Jiro looks down for some reason, his face still red, while Harumi answers my question with a grin: "Well, every single one of our sensei told us to come to this exact same training spot, so I think we may be taking the test together. Which would be _awesome_, right?"

I gasp, a smile slowly overcoming my features. "That's amazing! Oh my God, we _have_ to pass now. There's just no other way!"

With Harumi and Jiro on my side, I feel like I can do anything. Before coming here, I admit it, I had doubts of passing. Besides my Kekkei Genkai, I just felt like there wasn't anything else going for me...

But now, I think I really have a good chance! Don't get me wrong—Kaname and Luki are super nice teammates, but I just feel better with my two best friends helping me. _And that doesn't mean I can't help my real team, either. They're also my friends, and as I said, I'd do anything for my friends..._

Suddenly, I blink back into reality, and I see both Harumi and Jiro staring at me. Wait, no, not at me—at my _eyes_.

_Oh no..._

I quickly turn away, feeling ashamed and self-conscious and _sucky_. I know I shouldn't care about them knowing—_especially_ them—but...but I'm scared. I don't want them to take advantage of it, to continue being my friend just to use me...

It's stupid, but I just...I just don't wanna take any chances. I _don't_.

In front of me is Luki, and he's looking up at something, a smirk on his face. _That's weird. What's he looking at? _I follow his gaze upwards, to a tree...and sitting atop a tree branch is Aburame Shiina. Why is she up there? What the heck?

"You guys see her, right?" I ask, pointing at the black-haired girl. Harumi and Jiro follow my finger, looking every bit confused—and then they gasp.

"Isn't that Shiina?" Jiro asks.

Harumi cups her mouth and yells, "Hey! What're you doing up there?!"

Everyone stops talking and looks our way, confused, until they follow our gaze upwards and understand just exactly what we're talking about. Shiina breaks eye contact with Luki and looks down at us, her green-tinted goggles boring a hole right through my body.

I don't know why, but some people—people like her and Luki and Yukimi—have eyes that seem to stare right into your soul, digging up every single secret imaginable. I don't like eyes like that; I feel like they know exactly what I've been hiding for six years and counting.

"What?" She finally asks, looking away from me and to Harumi. With her knowing eyes away, I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.

"What are you doing up there?" Harumi asks again. "Actually, how _long_ have you been up there?"

Shiina doesn't skip a beat in answering: "I am simply observing. And as for your second inquiry, I was the first one to make it here."

In the corner of my eyes, I see Kenta suddenly frown. I wouldn't be surprised if he thought he was the first one here. And to think, Shiina was just sitting up there, staring at him the entire time. That's... _Wow_.

Harumi looks disturbed—so disturbed that she doesn't have anything more to ask. Jiro just sighs, chuckling awkwardly, while everyone else just stays quiet.

_...Well then..._

I look around at everyone, studying their features, their own unique personalities. It's amazing how six years ago, we never even thought of something like this happening. We're _Genin_, getting ready to take our final exam.

There's Team Seven: composed of Hattori Kaname, Kasami Luki, and me, Himura Sango. There's Team Eight: composed of Ishida Jiro, Kobayashi Noroi, and Katsura Harumi. There's Team Nine: composed of Nekomata Taido, Yamamoto Kenta, and Katsura Yukimi. And then there's Team Ten: composed of Maekawa Hotaru, Aburame Shiina, and Shizuna. Everyone's here. We're all in this together; we're all taking this test toge—

Wait.

...

Where's Shizuna?

"_**Finally**_**, everyone's here!**" Coming out of nowhere, theres a _gigantic_ puff of smoke, obscuring my—_everyone's_ vision! I gasp, covering my face, and there's a scream—I think it's Taido—and..!

The smoke goes away almost as fast as it came. Standing in front of us are the four sensei's: Sarutobi Konohamaru, Mitarashi Anko, Yamanaka Ino, and my sensei, Hatake Kakashi. It's weird that I remember each of their names...but they were easily the most interesting yesterday, so I guess that's why.

Besides, Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan is _my_ sensei! The one who taught Haruno Sakura—my _idol_—is _my_ sensei! It's just so incredible, so incredibly _lucky!_ I mean, sure, people call me extremely lucky all the time—but this is something serious!

This is another reason why I _can't_ fail. I know I'll never get another chance like this. I _have_ to pass! _I have to!_

"Now that everyone's here," Anko-sensei says, grinning. "We can begin the Survival Exam!" She pauses, as if expecting someone to cheer. Nobody does. I don't think this is something to cheer about anyways; the odds of failing are too high. "Over 60%," Kakashi-sensei told us yesterday.

Realising nobody's gonna respond, Anko-sensei pouts, and then turns to Ino-sensei.

"Fine. I was _going_ to go easy on you guys, but whatever," she says, and my heart falls. _She was going to go easy? Oh no..._ "Anyway, Ino, you can let your brat go."

And that's when I realize Ino is standing in front of Shizuna, almost protectively. Shizuna's brown hair is tied back into a long ponytail today, and her pretty blue eyes have a...depressing glint to it. She doesn't look happy at all, actually...which directly contrasts to her orange lipstick. _Isn't orange a cheerful color? Then why does she look so sad? _

"Go on, Shizuna-chan," Ino-sensei says with a warm smile, gently pushing the girl towards us.

But she doesn't move much. Instead, she just looks to the ground and sighs.

"What's the point?" She says, mainly to herself than to Ino-sensei. "Why should I try if I'm just going to fail? Just take me back home..."

Ino-sensei pouts. "Shizuna-chan..."

I don't know why, but I'm moving towards Shizuna before I even know what's going on. I take her hand in mine and smile, not even caring if she can see directly into my eyes.

"Don't say that," I tell her, gently leading her towards the rest of the group. "If you think like that, then of course you'll fail. But if you think positive and try your hardest, then I think... I think you'll pass. You at least have a better chance than if you just give up."

I'm impulsive, I already know that. But I'm not just gonna sit there and watch my former classmate—no, my _friend_ give up. I'm not that kind of person. I'm a cheerful, lucky person—but I'm also the kind of sincere person that'll never give up when my friends are involved.

I know I'm not really cut out to be a shinobi, but I don't care. My fate is in my own hands, and so is Shizuna's. Even though she's the Daimyo's daughter, she still chose to be a ninja, no matter how odd that looked. I like her for that.

"Your fate is in your own hands, Shizuna-chan," I tell her, still making eye contact. And she's staring, because her mouth is slightly agape, and her eyes are changing from depressing to astonishment.

I quickly look away, letting go of her hand. _Stupid. What if she saw something? Stupid, stupid, stupid. _

"You're right, Sango-chan!" She suddenly exclaims, grinning in that cheerful way of hers. "I don't know what was going on just then, but I'm good now! Of course I'm gonna pass! Why wouldn't I?" And then she laughs, that totally depressing moment over.

..._What was that?_

Anko-sensei doesn't look very amused. "Great. Is Ms. Bip—" Ino-sensei elbows her arm. "Ugh, calm down, I wasn't gonna say it. I'm not _that_ mean."

Ino-sensei rolls her eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

Konohamaru-sensei suddenly steps up, smiling awkwardly. "Okay, um, it's kinda my first time doing something like this..." Kakashi-sensei snorts, his face hidden behind his orange book. "But I'm sure you all are pretty confused, so—"

"Yeah, we _are_ confused!" Kaname interrupts, his arms crossed.

"Then _listen_ and you'll understand!" Konohamaru-sensei responds, his face momentarily showing irritation. But then it's back to that awkward smile of his. "Anyway, you're all here in the same training grounds because you're all taking the test together. Why? Because if you were just in the regular groups of three, you'd indefinitely fail." My blood chills at his words.

"What does that mean?" Luki asks, his head slightly tilted.

"It means that'd you be an academy student again if you took it with your regular team," Kakashi-sensei answers, momentarily looking away from the book. He smiles. "This exam is _that_ hard."

_It's that hard? Is it really? Could I honestly pass..?_

"Yeah." Konohamaru-sensei nods. "So you'll all be working together to pass. Or you could just work alone." He shrugs. "It'll just be easier to fail you, though..."

_So I need to work with my team. Harumi and Jiro, too. Maybe even Shizuna? Yeah, numbers are good..._

"What's the test, though?" Yukimi asks, her expression unreadable. "I seriously doubt it's as hard as you say. Fear tactics won't work on me."

Anko-sensei smirks at her student. "Big words coming from a Squad Nine member. If I can recall, _Squad Nine member_ and _corpse_ are synonymous, right?" Yukimi's brows furrow. That shuts her up.

"Her question is a good one, though," Ino-sensei says. Unlike Anko-sensei, she doesn't look as excited. "The test is simple. Survive a whole night in these training grounds. If we find and knock you out, you fail. If you die, you fail. Leave these grounds, and you fail." She laughs—but it's more of a nervous chuckle than a real laugh. "That's basically it. Any questions?"

There's silence for a moment, as we all process this information. _Survive a whole night in this place. Avoid all sensei. Dont leave the training grounds. Don't...die. _What kind of test _is_ this?!

A hand shoots up. It's Hotaru.

"Yes?" Ino-sensei says.

"Aren't teams always formed in groups of three? If an odd number of us fail, the teams would be messed up." ...That's exactly a good point!

Anko-sensei shakes her head. "Nah, we'll just send the ones who failed to the academy, and the ones that pass will be put in either the same team or with different people from another team. We'll settle the kinks when we get to that point, though."

"Oh." Hotaru lowers her hand, and for a second, I can see her bite her lip. But then I blink and she's the regular, silent girl again.

"Any other questions?"

This time, Taido raises his hand. "How... What do you mean when you say, _'if we die?'_"

"Simple. If you die, you can't pass, right?" Anko-sensei cackles, slapping her knee. I honestly don't find a single thing funny, though... "Nah, but seriously, you _could_ die in that forest. You could die anywhere in this training grounds, actually. The animals here get _really_ dangerous during the night for some reason, and there are plenty of fatal traps left forgotten." Oh my goodness..!

"But we made sure to clear out all those traps and plant safer, non-deadly ones!" Ino-sensei quickly interjects, giving Anko-sensei another disapproving look.

The other lady shrugs, a devious smile forming. "Hey, we could've forgot one or two, right?"

...The more this goes on, the more dangerous it seems to get. I don't even feel safe standing here...

"...Well, that's it for the questionnaire. Don't want you brats tryin' to get a few extra minutes." Anko-sensei claps her hands together and looks over at Kakashi-sensei. "I'm thinking of taking out at least three of them. What about you?"

Kakashi-sensei looks up from his book and smiles. "I don't particularly want a Genin squad this year, so I'm taking out my whole team, if that's fine with you."

...

I'm left speechless. It's like everyone's eyes are now on me, pitying me for having the strongest sensei. Even Kaname can't even seem to form words, and Luki just frowns.

I don't usually curse: but _dammit!_

Anko-sensei laughs again. "Perfect! That means at least half of these brats will be sent back to the academy. Now if only Konohamaru and Ino were as competent..."

"Hey, shut up!" Konohamaru yells, puffing out his chest. "I-I'll take out three of 'em, too!" _What?!_

Ino-sensei gives us a sideways glance, before sighing. "I-I guess I will, t-too..."

...This is horrible.

As the sensei chat, us Genin all give each other looks. Some of pity—mainly directed at me—but some of anxious fear. I thought that I would work with Harumi and Jiro, but... Why would they want to work with me now? I'm basically a marked man...

This is _so_ unfair.

"Hey, Sango-chan." Someone taps me on my shoulder. I look up, and it's Shizuna. "I'll team with you, if you want..."

"What?" A small slowly grows on my face, feeling my heart with warmth. "Y-You will?"

"Yep!" She grins. "Besides, I have a pretty good feeling we won't fail. You could say...I saw it myself."

The meaning of her words don't even register. I'm just so happy that she wanted to team with me!

"Thanks so much, Shizuna-chan!"

Someone else taps my shoulder. I turn around, and it's Harumi, Jiro standing right behind her.

"Oh, you found someone else?" Harumi places a hand to her heart, sighing. "That hurts. I-I guess we aren't friends after all..."

I laugh, shoving her. "You... You really wanna be on my team? Even if Kakashi—"

"Of course! Who cares about that old man anyway?" Harumi points a finger at my sensei, her nose scrunched up. "If he lays a hand on you, I'll put him back in a retirement home! You better believe it, girl!"

"Y-Yeah." Jiro smiles, almost a bit shyly. "I won't let him get you out, Sango-chan..."

Before I can thank them a million times, a flash of light completely blinds my vision. I squint—but then I remember that's not gonna help at all. Not on something like this.

_It's dark. Eerily dark. We're somewhere in a forest, the wind blowing—_

_"Augh! H-Help me!" Jiro screams, pinned to the ground by Anko-sensei. I gasp, and try to move towards him—but it's not my body to control. It's my future self's body. _

_Anko-sensei holds up a kunai, a psychotic look in her eyes. "Before I fail you, I'll just play with you a bit. Don't worry; it'll be over soon." _

_No! Move! Move! Why aren't I moving?!_

_Atop a tree branch, Yukimi laughs, swinging her legs almost childishly. Beside her is Taido, his expression unreadable. _

_"I think this proves my point, Jiro," she says, before jumping up and away. Taido quickly follows. "I'll be expecting my money after this test is over!"_

And then the vision's over. It might seem like a long time to me, but it honestly doesn't take any time at all. The Dragon's Eye is a Kekkei Genkai only limited to the members of my clan, and even then most members don't ever acquire it. Members like me—the ones that _do_ have the eyes—are randomly given visions of the future. The visions become more frequent and helpful the more chakra control a person has.

_But what was that about? Was...that during the test we're about to take? It has to be. And that means...Jiro..._

I blink out of my thoughts and stare at my male friend. In the vision, he looked so scared. But now, he just looks like his regular, nice self. _I can't let that happen. I can't, I can't, I can't!_

_Anything for my friends. _

Before I know it, I'm hugging them both. "Thank you guys so much," I say, and I mean it. I sincerely mean it. They look surprised, but then they hug me back, and I pull Shizuna into the hug, and we're all just standing here, hugging.

Most people don't even notice us, but then I see Hotaru staring at us, a perplexed glint in her brown eyes. Before I can question it, she turns away and looks over at Anko-sensei, who's beginning to talk again.

We all let go of each other, and then Harumi laughs at how random that was, and then Shizuna starts laughing, and then we're all laughing.

"Enough laughing!" Anko-sensei yells, squinting at our little group. She scoffs. "Actually, laugh while you can. You won't be laughing for much longer."

Shizuna blinks. "...Hahaha..?"

I stifle my giggles as Jiro just shakes his head.

Anko-sensei groans, before completely ignoring us and looking at everyone else. "Anyway, the test starts when I say '_start_.' Remember, you cannot leave the training grounds, or you'll fail. You cannot get knocked out by one of us, or you fail. And you cannot die...or, well, I think you get the hint." She laughs.

...Still don't find anything very funny...

"And if you survive the night," Ino-sensei says. "Then congratulations, you're officially a Genin of Konohagakure."

_That's my goal. I need to pass this test. It's not over yet; I can't admit defeat yet. I will decide my own fate!_

Konohamaru grins. "It's almost 1:00 right now, so we'll give you until sunset to hide. After that, it's hunting time."

_I will pass; I will pass; I will pass!_

Anko-sensei cracks her knuckles. "Ready..."

We all tense up.

"Set..."

Jiro, Harumi, and Shizuna all give me a look. I tilt my head to the forest. I know it's dangerous, but we need to go in there. It's the only efficient hiding spot.

"**Start!**"

And like a bird, I fly.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Wow. This chapter almost took a whole month to complete. I am so sorry about that guys. High School is way tougher than I expected it to be, and I'm either doing my homework, studying, or talking to friends. I'm starting to get the hang of my new schedule, though, so hopefully something like this doesn't happen again. **

**Anyway, everyone has been introduced! Yay! There will be a poll on my profile so everyone can vote on their top three favorite characters. The winners will be decided next chapter. So yah, make sure you vote! ^_^**

**This batch was the hardest one to do, btw. Sorry if the pace is going a bit too slow for your liking. I wanted everyone to be introduced before I started the action. And yeah, I think there should be action in the next chapter...**

**But yeah! I want to also thank everyone who's following, favoriting, and reviewing! That really makes my day to see things like that, and believe it or not, it DOES make me write just a bit faster. So yah~**

* * *

**Question: **_**Favorite POV? Least favorite POV? And who else do you think should team up? Answer in the reviews, yo!**_

* * *

**Teams (Btw, these teams are subject to change!): (Himura Sango, Katsura Harumi, Ishida Jiro, and Shizuna) + (Katsura Yukimi and Nekomata Taido)**

**Failed:**

* * *

**More alliances are on the way! And Yukimi and Taido were together in Sango's vision, so yah, they're a team. ^_^**

**Anyway, I'll see you all next time! Bye-nii~!**

**(P.S: Sango-chan didn't literally fly xD)**


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